Dial and Error
by ionica01
Summary: (23:41) [Unkown] Did you find your friend? (23:42) [Momo] Yes, she's making out with the DJ next to the loudspeakers. (23:42) [Unknown] At least now you know why she wasn't responding. (23:43) [Momo] Because I was texting the wrong number? In which Yaoyorozu and Todoroki go to different schools, but they meet through a text sent to the wrong person, and go from there.
1. Chapter 1

AN:Hello guys!

This is another one of my Todomomo aus that spiraled out of control. Blame "call me beep me" and "It's not a big deal" for that (and if you haven't read those fics you need to. Right now. Go.)  
But if you're still here, this is a Todmomo wrong number au! (shocking, I know) I hope you'll have fun reading it, and hopefully the characters aren't too ooc. We all know we act differently when we text so...  
But without futher ado:  
Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shouto  
Underlined is Jirou

* * *

 **1\. Wrong or Right? (Take an Educated Guess)**

* * *

 **Saturday night, 4th December**

(23:15) Kyouka Jirou, you are in _huge_ trouble.

(23:21) Don't you dare ignore me.

 _(23:22) Excuse me?_

(23:22) Don't play innocent with me.

(23:23) I'm next to the bar. If you think my threats are as empty as your tequila glass, you are sorely mistaken. I'll find you and drag you home.

 _(23:24) I'm sorry, I think you may have gotten the wrong number._

 _(23:25) I hope you find your friend, though._

(23:26) Oh God, I am _so_ sorry!

(23:28) My friend just got a new phone and I got it saved as [her name]2 and I texted her former number, I'm sorry!

(23:30) Wait, why do you have her former number?

 _(23:34) I just got this phone two days ago. I think they recycle phone numbers._

(23:35) That makes sense.

(23:37) Again, sorry to bother. You were probably resting.

 _(23:39) It's okay, I wasn't sleeping._

 _(23:41) Did you find your friend?_

(23:42) Yes, she's making out with the DJ next to the loudspeakers.

 _(23:42) At least now you know why she wasn't responding._

(23:43) Because I was texting the wrong number?

 _(23:43) That too, but I meant afterwards._

(23:43) Yeah… I can't even be mad at her in this instant.

(23:44) Or drag her back to our apartment, where we should be right now.

(23:44) We're gonna get in _so_ much trouble.

(23:46) I'm sorry, I'm just tired and ranting. Feel free to ignore me.

 _(23:48) I didn't mean to ignore you. I was just feeding my cat._

 _(23:48) She seems to be very fond of midnight snacks._

 _(23:49) Why will you get in trouble?_

 _(23:51) You don't have to tell me if I'm violating your privacy._

(23:51) What even is violation of privacy these days?!

(23:52) My roommate dragged me to a party because she's a music addict.

(23:52) Coincidentally, the DJ was this guy who has a crush on her.

(23:52) They might have both been a little tipsy and it worked out in their favour.

(23:53) I, however, am sober, salty, and contemplating what's the best way to sneak back into our room without alerting the system.

 _(23:53) Alerting the system?_

(23:53) We go yo a boarding school.

 _(23:54) So you basically sneaked out to go to a party?_

(23:55) Yes. Or as my lovely friend put it, we were "getting some fresh air and cleansing our ears" after the exams.

 _(23:56) Why did you go with her if you are so against it?_

(23:56) She was going to sneak out even without me. I couldn't risk letting her go alone.

(23:57) Besides, she promised she'd do the laundry for us for a whole month.

(23:57) And give me her dessert for a week.

 _(23:58) I was preparing to write you were a good friend after the first message, but I erased it all._

(23:59) Haha.

(23:59) Thanks.

 _(23:59) What for?_

 **Sunday morning, 5th December**

(00:00) Keeping me company.

(00:00) Oh God it's midnight. Sorry to keep you awake.

 _(00:01) It's okay._

 _(00:01)This is more entertaining than my physics homework anyway._

(00:02) I'd give anything to be doing my physics homework now.

 _(00:02) If it makes you feel better, I would have left by now if I were in your shoes._

(00:03) Barely raises my self-esteem.

(00:03) Still angry at my friend.

(00:04) I appreciate the attempt, though.

 _(00:04) Is the party that bad?_

(00:05) I'm not really a party animal, I guess?

(00:06) I prefer quiet places where I can read a good book.

(00:07) That makes me sound like a nerd, doesn't it?

 _(00:07) No, it doesn't._

 _(00:08) I'm the same._

(00:09) Oh.

(00:10) That's… reassuring.

 _(00:13) Nerd or whatnot is a term I don't really like. It's a label too easily thrown around, and it makes people self-conscious._

 _(00:14) What's wrong with liking books more than people?_

(00:16) I just read that twice.

(00:17) I've never related to something more.

(00:19) It's a forced stereotype, and it pushes expectations to rise up to that label on the person associated with it.

 _(00:20) You seem less angry now?_

(00:22) Yeah.

(00:23) I'm still gonna lecture my friend though.

(00:24) And I'll be taking her dessert for _two_ weeks.

 _(00:26) You deserve that._

(00:27) Why thank you! Someone who understands the struggle.

 _(00:28) I do._

 _(00:30) I have to watch my friend blush in front of his crush daily._

(00:31) That's cringy.

 _(00:32) You saw your friend making out with the DJ._

 _(00:34) You're no better off._

(00:35) Touche.

(00:39) Speaking of my friend, she finally decided to come back.

(00:41) Which is unexpectedly fast. I was sure I'd be stuck here for at least two more hours.

 _(00:43) Lucky you, I guess?_

 _(00:45) Are you on your way back?_

(00:53) Yeah, we just grabbed a cab.

(00:55) She's a bit euphoric.

(00:57) Oh nevermind, she has just passed out on my shoulder.

(00:58) Now comes the real challenge.

 _(00:59) Sneaking back in?_

(01:01) Yeah.

 _(01:04) Can you do me a favor?_

(01:06) I don't do drugs, tattoos or any other nasty variations.

(01:07) Anything else we can at least discuss, although I'll likely refuse if it involves anything dangerous.

 _(01:07) Dangerous like sneaking out of your dorms for a party, risking to alarm the security system and probably to get punished?_

 _(01:08) But you don't have to worry, I don't do those either._

 _(01:09) I just wanted you to text me if you got back safely._

(01:11) The _if_ in your statement really hurts my pride.

(01:12) I may be against sneaking out of the dorms, but if I do it, I'm doing it right.

(01:13) And in my defense, I think I am weak against Kyouka's puppy dog eyes.

(01:14) Also yes, I can text you.

 _(01:15) Thanks._

 _(01:17) Maybe it's weird, but I got invested in your little escape._

(01:34) We're in without a hitch.

(01:45) Okay maybe one hitch. Kyouka has just puked all over the floor.

(01:47) It's in her side of the room, she can deal with it. I'm too sleepy.

(01:49) And you're probably asleep, I hope I didn't wake you.

 _(02:01) I'm glad you got home safely (?) I don't know if puke all over the floor counts as safe._

 _(02:03) You didn't wake me, but I am going to bed now._

(02:25) Any amount of puke is safer than our homeroom teacher catching us. We'd be under house arrest in no time.

(02:27) And a totally random update, but I cleaned it in the end. She better have something really good in return.

(02:29) Also, thank you. Again.

(02:30) Good night, wrong number.

 **Sunday morning**

(08:00) Wake up.

(08:00) Wake up.

(08:01) Wake up.

(08:01) Wake up.

(08:02) WAKE UP.

(08:02) WAKE UP.

(08:03) Wake up!

(08:03) WAKE UP!

(08:03) Wake up!

(08:04) WAKE UP!

(08:04) oh for God's sake I was up at the fourth "wake up"

(08:05) it's a freaking SUNDAY MORNING!

(08:05) why are you waking me up at crazy o'clock?!

(08:06) Because the cafeteria won't give me _your_ cracker pack unless you're here to confirm I can take it.

(08:07) let me get this straight

(08:08) you are in the cafeteria

(08:08) right now

(08:08) on a Sunday MORNING

(08:09) at fucking 8 am

(08:09) and you want me to be there as well

(08:11) Yes. Could you make it here in 5 to 10 minutes?

(08:12) you are unbelievable

(08:12) how come? It only takes about 4 minutes from our room to get here.

(08:14) i am barely awake. i can't even stand the light of this blinking monstrosity known as phone

(08:15) Whose fault is that, I wonder?

(08:16) Either way, the clock is ticking, and my stomach is rumbling.

(08:18) eat your own damn breakfast. i'm not leaving my bed until noon

(08:20) That's a pity.

(08:21) Because I was sure I had some laundry to do at around 11.

(08:21) Wait no, that was you.

(08:22) And I also had a carpet to scrub after I puked last night and my great, amazing, perfect roommate got the smell out of it.

(08:23) Wait no, also you.

(08:24) And did I mention you were hungry?

(08:25) Wait no, that _is_ me.

(08:26) i hate you

(08:28) If you really did, you would have put your phone on silent.

(08:34) shut up. be there in 5

(08:35) Good, because I almost finished _my_ breakfast.

 **Sunday morning**

 _(10:07) On second thought, your roommate is lucky to have you._

 _(10:09) What did you get in return?_

(10:13) Her breakfast crackers for the next month (she loves those, they're really, _really_ , good).

(10:14) Also, laundry _and_ clean-up duty for the next month.

(10:14) And dessert obviously. Only for the next two weeks tho.

 _(10:16) Are you really kind or really evil? I honestly can't tell._

(10:17) A healthy mixture of both.

(10:19) What would *you* have asked for?

 _(10:23) I don't know._

 _(10:25) I probably wouldn't have gone in the first place._

 _(10:26) Let me think._

 _(10:54) One month's supply of soba._

(10:56) You thought about it for half an hour?

 _(10:57) I was helping my sister._

 _(10:57) But I was thinking about it while I was at it, so yes?_

 _(10:58) Why?_

(11:03) Nevermind.

(11:07) Why soba?

 _(11:09) Because it's good._

 _(11:09) And easy to prepare and eat._

(11:10) Makes sense.

 **Sunday morning**

(10:31) Kyouka

(10:34) if this is about the laundry i haven't arrived there yet and yes, i know i have to separate them according to color

(10:38) also no, i won't mix your dresses with the rest of the clothes because, as you've kindly reminded me numerous times before I left, they are made from a different, thinner material

(10:43) That wasn't why I was texting you.

(10:45) But since you brought it up, don't forget to also use a different detergent on the dresses.

(10:48) duly noted

(10:49) to what do i owe this pleasure?

(10:51) if it isn't about the precious dresses (which is a real surprise, I was sure the 20 minute tutorial you gave me before i left wasn't nearly enough)

(10:53) Have you ever talked to a stranger?

(10:54) you were a stranger before you became my best friend

(10:55) a decision i'm starting to question as i sit here, slaving over your clothes, separating them according to color and material

(10:56) how much do your clothes weigh anyway?

(10:58) that question was random tho. what's this about?

(10:59) I mean like, have you ever talked to a complete stranger? Out of nowhere?

(11:01) uhm, like in real life?

(11:03) there was that one time i talked to a dude at a concert and he straight up yelled at me for no reason

(11:05)... why?

(11:07) Don't worry about it.

(11:08) Just a random thought.

(11:10) okay…

(11:13) btw, where do the socks go?

(11:14) In a separate machine.

(11:15) If you lose any of them, you're getting one more week of clean-up duty.

(11:16) Be especially careful with the Rudolph ones.

(11:19) too late, they're already in

(11:23) Kyouka…

(11:27) geez, they're just socks.

(11:29) they won't start world war III

(12:18) update: your socks have just started world war III

(12:23) What the hell did you do?!

(12:26) i just put them in the washing machine like you said! but now that i got them out, they're sticking to each other

(12:28) did you have that many pink socks?

(12:29) Did you put my Rudolph socks in there, too?

(12:34)... was i not supposed to?

(12:35) Buy me some Paracetamol on the way back. I feel a huge headache incoming.

 **Sunday noon**

(12:54) Please get the 360mg type, not the 480mg concentration.

(12:56) Oh God I just checked the sender, I'm so sorry! (Again)

 _(12:59) It's okay, don't worry._

 _(13:01) Did you ask your friend to buy you medicine?_

(13:04) She made all my socks pink. I needed some Paracetamol to deal with it.

 _(13:06) How do you even do that?_

(13:07) By mixing my Rudolph socks in there.

 _(13:08) You have Rudolph socks?_

(13:09) Yes I do. Nerd, I know.

 _(13:11) I thought we had established that was a misconception._

 _(13:12) Besides, I think Rudolph socks are pretty cool._

 _(13:12) I sure know I wouldn't complain if I had some._

(13:13) You would if your best friend mixed them with your normal, white socks.

(13:14) What am I supposed to wear in gym now?

 _(13:15) Pink socks?_

(13:16) And have my teacher yell at me for not respecting the "dress code"?

(13:18) Although he wears a weird scarf thingy AND has a sleeping bag with him at all times?

 _(13:20) I'd say your teacher sounds extreme._

 _(13:21) Unless ours is much more over the top_.

(13:22) More over the top than carrying a sleeping bag with a cat model around?

 _(13:24) He yells "Don't worry, for I have come!" every time he enters the classroom._

 _(13:25) And he's supper muscular. Imagine Popey._

(13:26) When he eats spinach?

 _(13:27) Yes._

 _(13:28) Then multiply it by three._

(13:30) Wow.

 _(13:33) Yes, I know._

 _(13:34) He also calls us by adding a "young" before the name._

 _(13:35) I don't even think he's that old himself._

(13:37) Sounds like the total opposite of my PE teacher.

(13:38) Mine is 95% done.

 _(13:40) And the remaining 5%?_

(13:42) Threatening to expel us.

 _(13:43) I understand why you're worried about the socks now._

(13:47) Thank you. I'll borrow Kyouka's for a while.

 _(13:48) She kinda owes you._

(13:50) I'll show her this as evidence if she complains.

(13:51) An impartial person is on my side.

 _(13:53) Well I'm not really impartial. I only know your story._

(13:55) On whose side are you?

 _(13:57) The side of justice…?_

(13:59) I'll translate that to "On your side, of course".

 _(14:03) Whatever eases your headache._

(14:07) And she's back! Time to confront her about her crime!

(14:07) Thank you for keeping me company again, Wrong Number.

 _(14:13) The pleasure was mine._

 **Sunday noon**

(14:02) Yaomomo?

(14:03) YAOMOMO!

(14:04) i've been knocking on the door for 5 minutes and Mina has just opened the door to look at me weirdly.

(14:05) open up!

(14:05) Sorry, I was wearing my headphones.

(14:05) Coming.

 **Sunday Afternoon**

 _(17:45) Has the socket incident reached a favorable conclusion?_

 _(17:46) And how's your headache?_

(18:13) Why thank you for asking.

(18:13) I'm feeling okay now.

(18:14) And I have won three pairs of white socks until Kyouka will take me shopping (aka next weekend) to replace the ones I lost.

 _(18:16) Is she paying?_

(18:17) I like how you're thinking.

(18:25) She is paying now.

 _(18:27) I feel guilty._

(18:29) You shouldn't. I'll buy her lunch. Her favourite.

 _(18:31) That sounds better._

 _(18:32) Speaking of food, I should feed my cat._

(18:35) You did mention having a cat before. What kind of cat is she?

 _(18:36) She's a stray me and my sister adopted. So, I don't know?_

 _(18:37) She's white with some orange-reddish spots._

 _(18:42) We found her on the street after she had just been born- apparently someone abandoned her mother and the babies._

(18:43) How cruel!

(18:44) What did you do with the others?

 _(18:45) My older brother adopted the mother._

 _(18:46) And we put up posters for the babies. They were gone before we knew it._

 _(18:47) We kept the smallest one, though. She seemed weak and sickly._

 _(18:49) She's grown a lot._

(18:52) How old is she?

 _(18:53) About 3 years now._

(18:54) Aww!

(18:56) Mother was against us having pets. She said nobody would take care of them once I got into highschool anyway.

 _(18:57) Did you want one?_

(18:58) When I was younger. I got used to the thought as I grew older.

 _(18:59) Well, I can always tell you stories about Eri, if you want?_

 _(19:01) Eri being the cat._

 _(19:13) I weirded you out, didn't I?_

 _(19:22) You can just ignore that._

(19:45) I'd love to! Hearing cute stories about animals always makes my day!

(19:46) Of course you didn't weird me out, don't worry!

 _(19:47) Ah, that's good._

(19:49) Sorry, I just had to help a friend with her homework.

 _(19:52) Your roommate?_

(19:53) No, thankfully.

(19:55) One of the conditions on which we went out on Saturday was for her to do all of her homework until we left for the party.

 _(19:56) Once again, I have to wonder whether you're actually a great friend or a terrible sadist._

(19:58) I've decided to take this as a compliment.

(20:01) So, Eri.

 _(20:02) Yes, what about her?_

(20:03) How did you name her?

 _(20:05) My sister did. She's an elementary school teacher and she had this one student who she was really fond of because the girl always seemed like she was in need of love and protection. Somehow, the kitten reminded her of this particular girl._

(20:06) And let me guess, her name was Eri?

 _(20:08) How could you tell?_

(20:09) An educated guess.

 _(20:11) So let's see, great/terrible friend, self-proclaimed nerd, mind reader…_

(20:13) A list of what makes me charming?

 _(20:14) A scarce list of what I've gathered about you._

(20:16) I have a feeling I've made a much worse impression than I would have made in real life.

(20:17) I'm not even joking.

 _(20:19) I'd like to say the same, except I really don't know what impression you have of me._

(20:23) I was just scrolling down our convo and you've somehow managed to actually make a great impression?

 _(20:25) Why do you seem so surprised?_

(20:28) I'm sorry, I didn't mean it to come off like that. It's just- well for the most part, I need a lot of time before I can get comfortable enough around someone to joke around.

(20:30) For instance the Rudolph socks? It took me one year and a half to tell my roommate about that. And she's my best friend.

(20:32) I'm sorry if that freaked you out, I just find it easy to talk to you. Maybe it's because I've never seen you in real life.

 _(20:34) Why would I freak out? I think the Rudolph socks are cute._

(20:36) That wasn't really what I meant.

 _(20:36) But yeah, I'm the same. Maybe it's because this is unusual, so I'm not my usual self, either._

(20:38) What's your usual self, then?

(20:39) Wait no, sorry, that was too personal.

(20:40) We barely know each other.

 _(20:41) Well I usually go to sleep around ten._

(20:43) I am SO sorry about that!

 _(20:45) It's okay. Yesterday was the exception anyway. I would have been up late even without your text._

(20:47) This may sound weird, but I'm glad you kept me company yesterday. If you hadn't, I might have dragged my friend home before she got herself a boyfriend.

 _(20:49) Oh, she and the DJ are dating? Well then, congratulations._

 _(20:50) And I'm glad too._

 _(20:52) That I was awake and answered your message._

(20:54) Heh.

(20:55) I guess this really happened.

 _(20:56) What?_

(20:57) The wrong number thing. It's like out of a sappy movie or something.

 _(20:58) Oh well, I don't mind it._

 _(21:00) Do you mind?_

 _(21:01) If we… continue? This._

(21:03) No. I totally would like to.

 _(21:05) Great._

 _(21:07) So can I save you as Wrong Number Girl?_

(21:08) Yes.

(21:09) Wait, how did you know I was a girl?

 _(21:11) You mentioned living in a dorm at a boarding school with a girl, so…_

 _(21:12) I put two and two together._

(21:13) Oh.

(21:14) Did I also somehow slip my name in there?

 _(21:16) No._

 _(21:17) And just for the record, you don't have to. I mean, we don't know that much about each other, so if you're uncomfortable…_

(21:19) Thanks.

(21:20) So, what do I save you as?

 _(21:22) Wrong Number Guy?_

(21:23) Done.

(21:24) That was…

 _(21:25) Unusual?_

(21:26) Yes.

(21:28) Well then, goodnight, Wrong Number Guy.

(21:29) I'm going to try to make up for the lost sleep and let you be your usual self.

 _(21:31) Good night, Wrong Number Girl._

 **Sunday evening**

(20:14) why did you just laugh?

(20:16) Can't I laugh?

(20:17) not without sharing with your best friend

(20:19) Don't pull the 'best friend' card on me now!

(20:19) Also why are you messaging me, you are like literally sprawled on the bed under mine!

(20:22) you wound me, implying i am using our friendship to take advantage of you!

(20:23) i might have drunk some really cold juice last night to wash down the tequila and my throat hurts

(20:24) seriously tho, why were you laughing?

(20:26) I was just texting someone.

(20:27) ashido?

(20:29) No.

(20:31) hagakure?

(20:32) You can stop trying to guess. It's not someone you know.

(20:33) geez, didn't know that who your best friend's texting is a state secret.

(20:36) WAIT A MINUTE!

(20:37) IS THIS ABOUT WHAT YOU ASKED ME AT NOON?

(20:39) When you messed up my socks?

(20:41) DON'T EVADE THE QUESTION WITH ANOTHER QUESTION!

(20:42) ALSO, STOP TRYING TO MAKE ME FEEL GUILTY!

(20:43) SO, IS IT?

(20:45) Geez, tone down the caps.

(20:45) IS IT?!

(20:47) Yes.

(20:48) DID YOU HIT IT OFF AT THE PARTY?

(20:51) Please tone down the caps, my eyes hurt.

(20:51) And no, I have not.

(20:52) ohhh:((((((((

(20:53) That's a very sad face.

(20:53) Speaking of hitting it off, how's the DJ?

(20:54) his name is Kaminari and he's fine

(20:55) and don't change the subject!

(20:56) What subject?

(20:57) WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?

(20:58) Long story…?

(20:59) it's not even 9 girl, we have time

(21:05) I'll come down and tell you all about it.

(21:07) is this worth raiding my pringles stash?

(21:09) I think it is.

(21:11) this better be good!

* * *

AN:(It was good)

Hello again!  
I hope you've enjoyed this, and feel free to tell me your suggestions/thoughts in the reviews (you know how it works). Also, unlike many of my other works, I have decided how many chapters this will have from the get-go- nothing certain, of course, but if things go the way I have planned them... there should be 22. We'll see how that goes~  
Anyway, thank you for reading and I hope you'll enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2

In which Momo has a crisis related to her unknown number and Todoroki sees himself forced to ask Midoriya for advice.

Normal is Momo

Italics is Shouto

Underlined is Kyouka

Bold is **Midoriya**

Italics underlined is Iida

Bold underlined is **Kaminari**

* * *

 **2\. Dorks and Smiles (And Dorks Smiling)**

* * *

 **Monday morning, 6th December**

 **First period**

(09:07) I lived through PE.

 _(09:08) Your roommate's socks saved you?_

(09:08) As much as they could. They're only socks, after all.

 _(09:09) ?_

(09:10) Sorry, just babbling.

(09:10) So, how is your morning?

 _(09:10) Decent. We started out with an English lesson._

 _(09:11) Our over the top teacher thought it'd be a good idea to add 'Smash' or 'Kick' after the name of every single one of the 50 states and their most important cities to help us recall them._

(09:11) How does that work?

 _(09:12) Like 'Detroit SMASH!'_

(09:12) … Why?

 _(09:12) I don't know._

 _(09:13) But my friend absolutely loves him._

 _(09:13) And whenever we have study sessions he quotes him._

 _(09:14) He can even impersonate his face when he yells "For I am here!"_

(09:14) I lack the visual image but I'm sure it's hilarious.

 _(09:15) I can't provide photos without his consent, but I do have an audio of him in here somewhere._

 _(09:15) [Audio sent]_

(09:17) I'll listen to it once class is over.

 _(09:19) What do you have now?_

(09:21) History.

 _(09:25) Good luck._

(09:29) Thank you.

(09:31) I'll need it.

 **Second period**

 **(10:06) Uhm, Todoroki?**

 _(10:07) Yes?_

 **(10:08) I couldn't help but notice you were texting during recess. Is everything alright?**

 _(10:09) Yes? Why wouldn't it be?_

 **(10:09) I'm sorry, you just never text at school so I got worried. If everything is fine, I won't pry.**

 **(10:11) Just don't let Iida catch you. He'll lecture you to no end.**

 **/**

(10:06) Okay but this is hilarious.

(10:07) I've listened to it 3 times now.

(10:08) HOW?!

 _(10:09) I'm taking the use of caps of a good sign._

(10:11) Very!

(10:12) I'm not usually enthusiastic enough to use them, so your friend should be flattered.

 _(10:12) I don't know how he does it either._

 _(10:12) The teacher's nickname is All Might because he's so muscular and…_

(10:13) I think I understand.

(10:13) Also, your friend is amazing. I doubt that rough voice is his natural tone.

 _(10:14) I think he spent years perfecting All Might's voice._

 _(10:14) He practically worships him._

(10:15) Is he that awesome?

 _(10:15) He's a legend between the teachers and students here. He's also thought to be the best teacher in Tokyo._

 _(10:16) At least according to the diplomas in his study and RateMyTeacher._

 _(10:21) Is everything okay?_

 **/**

(10:05) you're laughing!

(10:05) finally! is it your wrong number?

(10:06) Yeah.

(10:07) is he some sort of god?

(10:08) i tried making you laugh after pe and you just stared at me?

(10:09) how can he be better than me?! i have YEARS of experience! you two just started chatting like, yesterday!

(10:10) He just sent me an audio of his friend impersonating their teacher and it's hilarious!

(10:12) Do you want to listen, too?

(10:14) nah, i'm cool

(10:14) just happy to see you smiling

(10:15) mineta's a jerk. don't give him your attention

(10:15) Thanks, Kyouka.

 **Third period**

(11:08) Yaomomo?

(11:14) Yaomomo i know you saw my message, you've been staring at your phone all throughout recess

(11:28) seriously, what's wrong?

 **/**

 _(11:03) Wrong number girl?_

 **/**

 _(11:05) Midoriya, can I ask you something?_

 **(11:07) Uhm, sure?**

 **(11:07) But why are we texting? We're in the same class.**

 _(11:08) I don't want to alarm Iida._

 **(11:09) Is anything wrong after all?**

 _(11:11) Not with me._

 _(11:13) I messaged someone a while ago and they haven't responded yet._

 **(11:13) Maybe they're just busy?**

 **(11:14) What was the context?**

 _(11:15) That's…_

 _(11:18) If I tell you, do you promise not to tell Iida? Or Uraraka? Or anyone else, for that matter?_

 **(11:19) You're freaking me out, Todoroki.**

 **(11:20) What happened?**

 _(11:21) Oh nevermind, class is starting. I'll tell you during lunch._

 _(11:24) Maybe she'll respond by then._

 **Lunch break**

 **(12:09) Is this about a girl?**

 _(12:10) Yes._

 **(12:10) Oh...**

 _(12:11) I can see you mumbling to yourself._

 **(12:11) Sorry.**

 **(12:12) I'm just surprised. You never told me you had a girlfriend.**

 _(12:12) Because I don't._

 _(12:13) Midoriya, stop cooking up conspiratorial theories under your breath._

 _(12:13) Just let me finish before you start strategizing._

 **(12:14) Okay. But eat your soba, Iida seems suspicious of us.**

 _(12:17) So, my sister was out on Saturday._

 **(12:17) On the date with Iida's older brother? The one I had to stop Iida from tagging along?**

 _(12:18) The one and only._

 _(12:21) Because she was out, I was tasked with feeding Eri- she gets hungry at midnight and meows and scratches doors until we feed her. Fuyumi usually does it, but she was out until 2 am._

 _(12:24) Shortly before midnight, someone messaged me. It was a wrong number, but the person behind it was dragged along to a party and was waiting for their friend. Since I was waiting for Fuyumi anyway, I figured I could keep them company._

 **(12:28) Your girl is a wrong number?!**

 _(12:29) She isn't *mine*._

 _(12:32) But she messaged me again after the party out of accident and it just…_

 _(12:34) We talked a bit yesterday. She's a nice person._

 _(12:37) I see you biting your lower lip, Midoriya._

 _(12:39) I know the stranger-danger argument, but it's not like I've told her where I live and gave her a copy of the key to my house. She doesn't even know my name._

 **(12:40) Then what are you worried about?**

 _(12:41) This morning, she seemed… off._

 **(12:43) You've only talked to her a few times, right? How can you be sure?**

 _(12:44) She starts blabbing when she's worried. Just like when you mutter._

 **(12:45) Sorry?**

 _(12:46) And then she quickly brushes it off like it's nothing._

 _(12:47) She did it at the party, too._

 **(12:49) Even if she *is* bothered by something, I don't know if it's your place to ask her. I mean, you barely know her, right?**

 _(12:51) I guess…_

 _(12:52) But she hasn't answered my message in a while, so she may be angry at me? I don't know why though, I didn't say anything unusual._

 **(12:53) What did your exchange sound like?**

 _(12:55) I told her about All Might. I thought it might make her feel better. I even sent her an audio of you doing the All Might impression (sorry for not asking for your accord, but it didn't have your face so I figured it was alright)._

 _(12:56) Anyway, she said it was hilarious._

 _(12:57) Midoriya? Why are you smiling?_

 **(12:59) Have you told her anything else after that?**

 _(13:02) That All Might is considered the best teacher in Tokyo._

 _(13:03) And then she stopped answering my messages._

 _(13.04) Did I say something wrong?_

 _(13:04) Midoriya?_

 _(13:05) You're going to choke on your noodles if you keep giggling._

 _(13:09) Told you._

 _/_

 _(13:04) Midoriya-kun looks like he's about to choke on his lunch. Does this have anything to do with you two texting throughout the whole break?_

 _(13:04) I honestly have no idea why he's laughing._

 _(13:05) I'll go see what happened._

 _(13:06) And put your phone away during lunch, it's impolite to the cook and it interferes with digestion._

 _(13:06) You were just texting me, weren't you?_

 _(13:08) Desperate times call for desperate measures, Todoroki-kun._

 _/_

 **(13:16) About the mystery girl.**

 _(13:17) Are you able to breathe again?_

 **(13:19) Yes, although Iida and Uraraka made me promise to stay in the infirmary until class starts.**

 **(13:21) Anyway, I don't think she's angry at you, Todoroki.**

 _(13:23) How can you tell?_

 **(13:25) Just give her time.**

 _(13:27) Okay…_

 _(13:28) Thanks, Midoriya._

 **(13:29) That's what friends are for.**

 **Lunch break**

(12:23) so, you gonna tell me why you've been on your phone all day long and yet you have somehow managed to brilliantly ignore me?

(12:25) is this about wng?

(12:27) I'm really sorry, Kyouka.

(12:29) finally talking again!

(12:29) Wng?

(12:31) wrong number guy. it's a hassle to write that every time

(12:32) is this about him?

(12:34) No.

(12:35) Yes?

(12:35) I don't know…

(12:36) oh boy

(12:37) i'm listening

(12:42) Remember the audio he sent me?

(12:42) yeah

(12:43) Well after he sent that, he mentioned his teacher being nicknamed All Might on _RateMyTeacher_.

(12:44) And he also mentioned that his school was in Tokyo...

(12:45) did you…

(12:45) did you spend all the breaks stalking his teacher…?

(12:49) Maybe?

(12:50) YOU TOTALLY DID!

(12:50) OMG GIRL YOU STALKED SOMEONE!

(12:52) I prefer the notion _conducted_ _researched_.

(12:53) I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!

(12:53) ashido says you've grown so much…

(12:55) Tell Ashido to stop pretending to wipe tears, she's being overly dramatic.

(12:56) And did you tell her about Wng?

(12:57) nope, only the stalking part, because she asked me why I dropped my phone

(12:58) You drama queens.

(12:59) what can we say, we aim to please

(13:01) anyway! spill the beans! what did you find out?

(13:03) About that… All Might is actually Yagi Toshinori.

(13:04) the ua teacher?!

(13:06) The one and only.

(13:06) so mystery boy goes to ua?!

(13:07) that's good, right? you guys live in the same city then!

(13:07) granted, it's an hour by train from here to ua, but still!

(13:09) That's the thing. He's **real**.

(13:10) of course he's real. what, did you think you were talking to a robot?

(13:12) It's just… he was only a wrong number, you know? Now he's _someone_. A person with a background.

(13:12) And he goes to UA! UA Academy! As in the best school in the country, Kyouka!

(13:13) What if he's a genius?

(13:13) and here i go, stating the obvious again

(13:14) YOU are a genius too, Yaomomo

(13:15) do i need to remind you that you would have been accepted at UA on recommendation alone?

(13:16) and that the only reason you didn't go there was because shiketsu had better chem labs? and also because shiketsu was family tradition and whatnot

(13:17) I'm just a bit… overwhelmed.

(13:17) We've just started talking, but he instantly made me feel better today.

(13:18) And now that I know what school he goes to I feel like he's suddenly much closer.

(13:18) Does that make any sense?

(13:19) insanely enough, yes

(13:20) have you told him that you've stalked his teacher?

(13:21) Conducted research.

(13:22) And I haven't.

(13:24) Actually, I haven't replied to his messages since second period ended.

(13:24) YOU WHAT?!

(13:25) ashido's yelling at the screen, for the record

(13:26) I panicked, okay?!

(13:26) And I knew you'd tell her… You can't be trusted!

(13:27) this is , you HAVE to tell cant just leave him hanging like that!

(13:29) Every time I tried to, it became increasingly embarrassing to write to him!

(13:30) He asked me if I'm okay what do I do?

(13:35) sorry, had to claw my phone out of mina's hands

(13:35) have you been ignoring him since 10?

(13:37) Had too big of a crisis to remember to reply until it was too late would be a more accurate description.

(13:38) you are a lost cause…

(13:40) What do I do now? I feel so stupid…

(13:41) tell him that, not me

(13:46) i can practically see your soul leaving your body as your brain is slowly melting

(13:49) *sigh* come here and we'll figure something out

(13:49) You are the best, Kyouka!

 **Monday afternoon**

 **Fifth period**

(14:04) Everything's fine, sorry for disappearing like that.

(14:07) I kind of have a confession to make (and before you ask no, I'm not a criminal and no, I'm not a guy or a 90-year old either).

(14:09) You've told me your teacher is the best in Tokyo and I kind of googled him and found out he's Yagi Toshinori from UA.

(14:10) And I had a mind blow because I live in Tokyo too, and I just realised you're not a product of my imagination and I freaked myself out.

(14:11) I'm sorry for reacting like a kid.

(14:17) Wrong number guy? Are you there?

 **Sixth period**

(15:30) I understand if you don't want to talk to me again, I am a creepy stalker after all.

(15:42) For the record, I never text during class, but I'll make an exception. Tell me at least if I should erase your contact and forget all about this.

 **Seventh period**

 _(16:02) You aren't a creepy stalker and you don't have to erase my number, relax. I probably would have done the same if I were you._

 _(16:04) The reason for my late reply has absolutely nothing to do with your messages. I've actually just read them._

(16:05) So you aren't creeped out by me?

 _(16:06) Why would I be? Using any intel you have on me to determine your safety is the smart thing to do._

(16:07) I… honestly didn't expect that answer.

 _(16:08) Am I making a good impression again?_

(16:09) Terrific.

(16:10) Really, no sarcasm intended. Kyouka just said you've won a silver badge in her books.

 _(16:11) Only silver?_

(16:13) She says you still have place to grow.

 _(16:14) So you've told your friend about me?_

(16:16) Oh.

(16:17) Uhm, yes.

(16:17) This *is* creepy, isn't it?

 _(16:18) No._

 _(16:18) I mean, I also told my friend about you._

(16:19) The one who can do the All Might impersonation?

 _(16:19) Yeah. His name is Midoriya._

(16:20) You're not afraid I could stalk him?

 _(16:21) I also know your best friend's name. Actually, it was the first thing you've ever told me._

(16:22) Oh, right.

(16:23) Is this awkward just for me, or…?

 _(16:25) I don't know. Midoriya says I'm generally inapt to properly adapt to social contexts. He's just pointed to our conversation and rolled his eyes as if this is proof of my terrible skills of communication, so..._

 _(16:26) Does my opinion count as valid?_

(16:26) You don't strike me as a socially awkward person.

(16:26) You were talking with a stranger at midnight like it was natural.

 _(16:27) I'm going to show this to him when he tells me I act strange around people again._

 _(16:27) My teacher just entered the classroom._

 _(16:28) Can I talk to you later?_

(16:28) Of course. If you still want to.

 _(16:47) I'm just going to put this down and make references to it whenever you underestimate your skills to entertain me, but I like talking to you._

 **After school**

 _(18:41) How is staring at a girl (note: while she plays volleyball) with a faraway look and then blushing (note: violently) while talking to her accurately described in one word?_

(18:45) A crush.

 _(18:46) I've just shown this to Midoriya and he hid his face._

(18:46) Oh, he was the one staring at his crush?

 _(18:47) He's mumbling that 'a crush' isn't the right way to describe his feelings, because that involves a rush of hormones he doesn't have. But to answer your question: yes, he is guilty as charged._

(18:48) I can't check that.

(18:50) But tell him increased heart rate (which he should have if he's blushing) can also be caused by hormones. Adrenaline and noradrenaline, to be more specific.

 _(18:52) He ran away from the undeniable evidence and is now probably sulking in the lockers._

(18:53) Will you go after him?

 _(18:54) I'll give him 10 minutes to cool off._

(18:54) That serious, huh?

 _(18:55) I think they're actually dating and he doesn't realise it._

(18:56) Oh?

 _(18:57) They're eating lunch together, going home together, having study sessions before exams (and not only) together, and they even went shopping together once._

 _(18:58) Plus, they are both eager to be in the same team during practical exams._

(18:59) Sounds like a sweet high school romance to me.

(18:59) Why aren't they dating?

 _(19:00) Probably because they're both too focused on what they want to become, and can't afford any slacking._

(19:01) That makes sense.

(19:02) Still, they sound like they would make a cute couple.

 _(19:02) I guess they would…?_

 _(19:03) Not cuter than Rudolph socks, though._

(19:04) Why did you bring that up now? It is irrelevant to our conversation.

 _(19:05) It is not._

(19:06) Enlighten me. Make my paperwork more interesting.

 _(19:06) Paperwork? I thought you were in high school._

(19:07) Class representative duties.

 _(19:07) Oh, just like Iida._

(19:08) Excuse me?

 _(19:08) Our class rep's name is Iida, and he's super strict._

 _(19:10) He's me and Midoriya's friend, but he doesn't cut us any slack._

(19:10) So what is he saying about you texting during club activities?

 _(19:11) He isn't here to see me._

 _(19:11) Besides, I'm on a break._

(19:12) What club have you chosen?

 _(19:13) Me and Midoriya are in the men's volleyball team, but we have to share the court with the girls' team._

(19:14) Hence the staring.

(19:14) But wow! Isn't UA like the king of volleyball and basketball or something?

 _(19:14) I guess we're pretty good. We've made it to the nationals in the last 4 years._

 _(19:15) But you've been diverting my attention from the socks._

(19:16) Ah, so sharp.

 _(19:16) You sound disappointed._

(19:17) I'm not (disappointed that you're smart, that is). I'm simply steeling myself to be teased for my Rudolph socks.

 _(19:18) I'm not going to tease you._

 _(19:20) Midoriya's not-a-crush-but-obviously-a-crush's birthday is coming up soon, and that just stroke me as the kind of thing she'd like._

(19:21) Oh.

(19:22) You're actually a good friend, aren't you?

 _(19:22) You doubted that?_

(19:23) I mean, you did send me an audio of your friend's voice and told me his surname despite not knowing anything about me.

(19:24) And you even ratted him out for having a crush.

 _(19:25) You make me sound charming._

(19:26) It's one of my many talents.

 _(19:29) But I don't not know anything about you. I know you have Rudolph socks, and that you're self-conscious about that (which you shouldn't be) and also that you're a good/terrible friend, make good impressions in real life, are one of the most honest persons I've met (unless you're actually a great liar and have created one of the most complex alternative universes in the span of a few hours)..._

 _(19:29) Have I forgotten anything?_

(19:30) Note to self: invent a word for being speechless during texting.

(19:31) Textless? Keyless?

 _(19:33) Crap._

(19:33) ?

 _(19:35) I snorted at your reply and my captain found me._

(19:35) Well, your friend has been in the locker for over half an hour.

 _(19:36) Ahhh, Mirio'll yell at me and give me extra receives today…_

(19:36) Do you always disclose your friends' name so easily?

(19:43) Aaaaaand I guess you're doing extra receives.

/

 **(18:56) So, you're talking to your wrong number again.**

 _(19:02) Yes._

 **(19:03) That took a long time to answer. Were you engaged in conversation?**

 _(19:07) Yes._

 **(19:09) She seems nice. I had my doubts, but that message she sent you at noon was really sincere.**

 **(19:11) That doesn't mean you shouldn't be careful though, okay?**

 _(19:17) I know._

 _(19:23) She's just very relaxing to talk to._

 _(19.33) Midoriya, are you still in the lockers?_

 **(19:34) Yes.**

 _(19:34) Get here._

 _(19:34) NOW._

 _(19:34) Mirio's calling for us and he *isn't* happy._

 **Monday evening**

 _(20:43) 70 receives._

 _(20:44) And Mirio spikes like a beast._

 _(20:45) I blame you for the inevitable pain in my lower back_

(20:50) Wow, you just got home now?

 _(20:50) Not yet, still on the bus._

(20:51) But it's late late. Won't you parents be worried?

 _(20:51) I'm always this late when I have volleyball after school._

 _(20:51) Which is almost daily._

 _(20:57) And I live with my sister._

(20:59) I see.

(20:59) I'm sorry, I probably overstepped my boundaries. I won't ask more.

 _(21:00) And you were genuinely worried I'd consider you a stalker. I doubt stalkers make a habit out of apologising._

 _(21:00) Has anyone ever told you you apologise too much?_

(21:01) I am very tempted to say sorry again (and I just have, haven't I?) but I know it's a trap.

(21:01) And yes, Kyouka has told me that before.

 _(21:01) Okay then, how about this: every time you apologise unnecessarily, you have to disclose a fact about yourself._

(21:02) That's better than the "Apology Jar" that Kyouka glued to our table.

 _(21:02) Apology Jar?_

(21:03) It's just like a "Swear Jar".

 _(21:03) I'm starting to resonate with your friend in certain respects._

(21:04) How can you do that after the socks accident?!

(21:04) And here I was, thinking you were on my side!

(21:05) *Imagine me dramatically fall on my bed right now, a hand draped over my eyes*

 _(21:05) *I would, except that I can't, because I have no idea what you look like*_

(21:06) Are you by any chance trying to subtly worm a photo out of me?

 _(21:06) No, I was just stating the obvious._

(21:08) Oh, sorry.

 _(21:08) There you go._

 _(21:09) Random fact about you, please._

(21:09) So **this** was your scheme…

 _(21:10) Stalling?_

(21:12) Fine.

(21:13) I always wear my hair in a ponytail unless there's a special occasion.

(21:14) Happy?

 _(21:17) Sorry for the delay, I had to feed Eri._

 _(21:17) You have long hair?_

(21:17) Curious, aren't we?

 _(21:18) Sorry._

(21:18) Ha, my turn now!

 _(21:19) I'm sorry?_

(21:20) Three sorry's, this is my lucky day! Besides, the whole random facts is only fun if we both do it.

(21:21) So now it's my turn: How do you manage to sleep at 10 if you only arrive home after 9?

 _(21:22) I see how it is. You're sneaky._

(21:22) Takes one to know one.

 _(21:23) I do my homework during our individual study periods._

 _(21:23) That's actually why I replied so late today at noon. We aren't allowed with phones in the library._

 _(21:24) Also, I wake up early because of club activities._

(21:24) Are you a regular on the team?

 _(21:25) Yeah. I'm the setter. Midoriya's a Wing spiker, since he's quick and has a lot of stamina._

 _(21:25) Mirio's our captain. He's also the ace of the team._

(21:27) That's impressive. You guys sound like an amazing bunch.

 _(21:29) What about you? What's your club?_

 _(21:29) Do you even have time for one, with all the class rep duties?_

(21:30) Promise not to laugh.

 _(21:30) ? Why would I?_

(21:31) Because it's nerdy.

 _(21:31) Social labels. I thought we had established that._

(21:33) The chemistry club.

(21:43) And I've scared you with my nerdiness.

 _(21:47) You didn't, I was taking a shower._

 _(21:47) That's amazing!_

(21:48) You are the first person to react with these words after finding out I am a chemistry obsessed teenager.

 _(21:50) We had quite a few conversations without you mentioning chemistry or Bunsen Burners, so I wouldn't describe you as obsessed._

(21:52) Refer to the hormone talk three hours ago.

 _(21:53) A smart woman isn't a nerd, but a woman to be respected._

 _(21:54) Besides, don't let anyone other than you judge your passions._

(21:57) I like your outlook on life, Wng.

 _(21:59) Wng?_

 _(21:59) (And thank you (?), I think that was a compliment.)_

(22:02) Short for Wrong Number Guy. Kyouka came up with it.

(22:03) (It was. You're welcome.)

 _(22:04) Wng is much easier to write than Wrong Number Guy/Girl. Thank your friend on my behalf._

(22:06) Done.

(22:08) She also just yelled at me to put you in my phone as "Guy who can make me laugh when my best friend can't" but I think that's even longer than Wrong Number Guy.

(22:10) Wait no, she just said that I should save you as "Volleyball Dork".

(22:11) That does sound very tempting.

 _(22:11) Why "dork"?_

(22:13) She says it's because you are, and she quotes from the Urban Dictionary (she actually googled it, my laptop is proof) "both academically inclined and with a tendency to fan over things". I don't have evidence to support the theory of you being a dork, though.

 _(22:13) I can't particularly deny either of those, although it's Midoriya that's the fanboy, not me._

(22:13) Despite that, I have a hunch you like fanning over Eri.

 _(22:14) I won't even try to contradict you on that, because it would be an insult to Eri._

(22:14) I knew it!

(22:15) Is there anything you're particularly fond of fanboying over though?

 _(22:18) Disney movies._

(22:18) Do my eyes betray me or do we have a Disney fan here? (Also, is the delay due to embarrassment?)

 _(22:19) In my defense, Disney movies are never-dying masterpieces suitable to any age. (I neither deny nor subscribe to that point of view.)_

(22:20) Kyouka keeps yelling that she knew you were a dork.

 _(22:20) You have betrayed my trust._

(22:22) If it makes you feel better, she was jumping on my bed (the top bunker) and fell.

 _(22:22) Only mildly patches my wounded heart._

 _(22:23) Do I get to put you in my phone as "Not a Science Nerd" in return?_

 _(22:26) Not a Science Nerd? Everything okay?_

(22:28) Shiketsu High.

 _(22:29) ?_

(22:29) My school is Shiketsu High.

(22:31) It's just… I know your school, so it seemed unfair for you not to know mine.

(22:31) And you have permission to call me "Not a Science Nerd".

(22:32) Also I'm so sorry, it's past 10 and you have club early tomorrow, right?

(22:32) Night, Volleyball Dork.

 _(22:32) I'll get my random fact on you tomorrow._

 _(22:34) Good night, Not a Science Nerd._

 _/_

(22:30) Stop throwing pillows at me, it's technically lights out and we don't want Eraserhead to hear a peep.

(22:31) you've been grinning at your phone like an idiot for three minutes now

(22:32) also, why are you searching volleyball slang on your laptop?

(22:37) No reason.

(22:38) that was an unusually long pause

(22:45) just how invested are you in wng?

(22:47) More than I should be, that's for sure.

(23:40) i can't believe you've just opened your notebook, closed your laptop, then opened your laptop again hovering with your hands over the keys, closed it yet *again* and repeated 3 times

(23:42) Do you have nothing better to do than watch me?

(23:43) what's eating away at your mind?

(23:45) Wng is the UA's volleyball team's setter.

(23:49) wait does that mean you can find out who he is?

(23:50) WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!

(23:52) I've already invaded his privacy enough. Shouldn't I let him tell me himself?

(23:54) for the smartest girl in our school, you can be quite stupid

 **Tuesday, 7th December**

(00:02) you asleep, Kaminari?

 **(00:04) who can sleep when there's an english essay due tomorrow?**

(00:05) do you know the volleyball team's setter from your school by any chance?

 **(00:13) you have ignored my existential crisis!**

 **(00:13) aren't you my loving girlfriend?**

(00:14) i'll be your angry girlfriend unless you answer my question

 **(00:15) *sigh* i know both midoriya and todoroki are in the volleyball team**

 **(00:16) think todorokis the setter**

 **(00:17) let me check**

 **(00:25) kirishima said its todoroki**

 **(00:26) why are you interested tho?**

 **(00:27) wait you arent breaking up with me are you?!**

 **(00:27) i know todorokis good looking and all but!**

 **(00:29) jirou?!**

(00:30) my roommate just muffled my voice with a pillow because i was laughing too hard and i had to hide my phone

(00:31) of course we're not breaking up, you idiot!

 **(00:33) im confused**

(00:35) we're doing the opposite of a break-up

(00:35) we'll get two people together

* * *

AN: Hello again!  
Most of you asked for Todo's pov- here it is. Hopefully it wasn't too ooc- I really do think Todoroki is much more talkative when texting (and he isn't generally particularly shy, he simply doesn't find it necessary to share his opinion, at least imo. He doesn't adapt easily to new people he has to face, but he isn't really awkward). Also, I headcanon that Jirou is snarky around those she is comfy with.  
Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed the madness! I am a full fledged dork according to urban dictionary, so next chapter will be shameless fangirl/boying.  
Your comments and love keeps me alive! I hope you continue to enjoy this ride:)


	3. Chapter 3

In which Momo and Todoroki bond over their taste in Disney movies, and the Bakusquad makes its appearance!

Normal is Momo  
Italics is _Shouto_  
Bold is **Midoriya  
** Underlined is Jirou  
Underlined Italics is _Iida_  
Bold Underlined is **Kaminari  
** ***Bold Underlined*** is *****Bakugou*****

* * *

 **3\. Disney and Scrabble (And the Bakusquad Stealing the Spotlight)**

* * *

 **Tuesday, 7th December**

 **Tuesday morning**

 _(05:50) Have you arrived yet?_

 **(05:53) On my way.**

 _(05:59) She's from Shigetsu High._

 **(06:01) Oh.**

 _(06:03) I've been browsing through their website and they don't have a page for their chemistry club._

 **(06:04) Blasphemy!**

 _(06:05) I can sense the irony in your message and it isn't appreciated._

 **(06:07) Sorry.**

 **(06:08) So… Is she in the chem club?**

 _(06:09) She is._

 _(06:10) It looks like their club is quite good, actually. There are some articles about competitions in which they were involved._

 **(06:13) Shouldn't you be practicing, Todoroki?**

 _(06:14) The gymnasium is closed, and it's too cold for me to do push-ups on the ground. Besides, I've already ran five laps around the grounds of Court B._

 _(06:17) Do you think I'm too involved?_

 **(06:18) I don't think it's bad you're enjoying her company. Just don't let it get between you and your real life.**

 **First period**

(08:02) Fun fact: my favourite Disney movie is Hercules.

 _(08:07) You've seen it!_

(08:07) This is rare, an exclamation mark. Are you excited by any chance?

 _(08:08) Well, most people overlook the greatness that Hercules is._

(08:08) I'll take that as a roundabout "yes".

 _(08:08) Megara?_

(08:09) "I am a damsel, I am in distress, I can handle it. Have a nice day!"

(08:11) Volleyball Nerd?

 _(08:13) Sorry, I've been staring at my phone trying to figure out whether I am living in a parallel universe or you've actually quoted my favourite Megara line._

 _(08:13) I still haven't decided which one is more likely._

(08:14) Your turn.

 _(08:14) Tangled._

(08:15) The only Disney film from the 2000s I haven't seen and you slap it in my face.

 _(08:15) You haven't seen Tangled?!_

 _(08:15) We have to fix that._

 _(08:16) It has one of the best male characters in Disney history._

(08:16) Are you insulting Aladdin?

 _(08:17) All Might is here, but I'll be back. We need to have this talk._

 **Second period**

 **(09:05) ***What's the half and half bastard grinning about?! He pisses me off!*****

 **(09:07) Why don't you ask him yourself?**

 **(09:08)*** And get close to that happy aura of his?! I don't want to barf rainbows!*****

 **(09:08) Isn't it good that he's happy?**

 **(09:09) By the way Kacchan, are you planning something dangerous for the Christmas Party again?**

 **(09:11) *** Piss off, fucker.*****

 **(09:11) You may want to be more subtle about it, Iida is getting suspicious.**

 **(09:12) But I do think he'd overlook some harmless pranks if you were to help us with the Christmas lights.**

 **(09:14) ***And why would I accept?*****

 **(09:14) Because I could talk him into letting you do the mannequin challenge if you helped us sneak the lights in.**

 **(09:17) ***... I'll consider it.*****

 **(09:18)*** Anyway, tell the half and half bastard to stop. The dipshit's giving me shivers.*****

/

 _(09:02) Okay, I'm back._

 _(09:03) No offense to Aladdin, but the Genie remains the best character in that movie._

(09:04) It's Robin Williams. What do you expect?

 _(09:06) Still, Flynn Rider beats that._

(09:06) It's unfair of you to make claims I cannot judge.

 _(09:07) Then go see it._

 _(09:07) This is making me want to rewatch Tangled so badly. So many memorable moments._

(09:10) It's a retelling of the Rapunzel story, right?

(09:13) Volleyball Nerd?

 _(09:14) Sorry, a guy in my class just threw his pencil case at me and yelled, and I quote, "Your smile is creeping me out and it makes me want to puke rainbows, you dipshit! Go drool over your phone somewhere where you won't make my stomach turn!"_

 _(09:14) But imagine that all in caps because he was screaming._

(09:14) Ouch.

(09:15) Does he always scream at you or was today a special occasion?

 _(09:16) I think he only has two settings: raging as if all hell broke loose or shutting up but shooting arrows with his look._

(09:16) That sounds a bit over the top.

(09:17) But about what he said… Do you not, by any chance, smile that often?

 _(09:18) I've just asked Midoriya and he said my face is deadpan 92% of the time, and that he doubted whether I was biologically able to smile wider than 1.2 cm until today._

(09:18) Those are oddly specific number.

 _(09:18) Midoriya's good with numbers._

 _(09:18) But. Tangled._

 _(09:19) To answer your question: yes, Tangled is basically Rapunzel's story, but with frying pans._

(09:20) Excuse me?

 _(09:21) I don't want to spoil you. You'll have to see for yourself._

(09:21) Are you trying to trick me into watching Tangled?

 _(09:23) Perhaps._

 **Third period**

(10:05) I'm afraid I've been thinking.

 _(10:05) A dangerous pastime._

(10:06) I know.

 _(10:07) Were you testing me?_

(10:07) Yes, but don't worry, you passed with flying colours.

 _(10:08) Beauty and the Beast references are applicable in day to day life. I had to remember them._

(10:09) Please tell me you haven't told Midoriya he can get his crush "the usual: flowers, chocolates, promises you don't intend to keep."

 _(10:10) How did you know?_

(10:10) The poor guy…

 _(10:11) Why are you pitying him?_

(10:12) He sounds like an innocent soul that would believe you.

 _(10:12) He actually hit me with the ball for that._

(10:13) Tell Midoriya I'm cheering for him.

 _(10:15) I reluctantly did as you asked (although I feel betrayed) and he says you've atoned for the sins you committed yesterday._

 _(10:16) I interrupted you though. What were you thinking about?_

(10:17) Right.

(10:17) I don't have club tomorrow, so I'll try watching Tangled.

 _(10:18) This may be the best news since I found out that Mirio won't give me any extra laps today._

 _(10:19) Share your thoughts with me?_

(10:21) You've got it.

/

 _(10:16) She watches Disney movies._

 **(10:19) Huh. Just your luck.**

 **Lunch break**

(12:59) does your googling animated movies have anything to do with wng?

(13:02) I simply haven't watched one in a long time, and thought it might be a nice change of pace.

(13:03) uhuh, sure, and the fact that you're blushing is totally irrelevant

(13:03) i wasn't born yesterday, yaomomo

(13:04) His favourite movie is Tangled and I haven't watched it yet. I think understanding what he likes might help me understand more about him.

(13:05) you're adorable

(13:07) Don't you mean naive?

(13:11) nah, i think you're good. i don't think he's a serial killer

(13:13) Aren't you awfully trustful…

(13:17) heh

/

(13:05) hello, wng. this is kyouka, the one who used to have your phone number before

 _(13:06) This is… sudden._

(13:07) no need to be so wary. i thought you should have my (current) phone number, just in case

 _(13:08) Is she alright?_

(13:09) she's fine and she doesn't know i'm texting you

 _(13:10) Is this going to be the "if you hurt my friend I'll kill you" talk?_

 _(13:10) Because I have no intention of doing anything bad to her, so you don't need to tire yourself with it._

(13:11) certainly a relief to know that i won't have to spell that out for you

(13:13) but this is more the "i'm here if she doesn't respond and you freak out" talk

 _(13:14) Why wouldn't she respond? I had the impression we were get along fine?_

(13:15) you are (and you're doing so much better than expected) but she freaked out yesterday, remember?

(13:15) she freaks out easily, and it's mostly because she doesn't trust herself, so… 

(13:16) so i thought you may want to know what's going on if that happens again

 _(13:17) That's… incredibly thoughtful._

 _(13:19) Why are you doing this?_

(13:21) listen, she's not your average girl. she's insanely smart and beautiful (no i am not giving you a picture, not until she does so, anyway) and she doesn't have the best of luck with men

(13:23) you genuinely make her smile. seriously, she's been grinning like an idiot since she has started texting you. it's a bit disturbing and highly gratifying at the same time

(13:24) i just want her to be happy

 _(13:25) You guys really are good friends._

(13:25) i do what i can

 _(13:27) I want her to be happy too. It may be weird of me to say this because I've literally never met her, but my teammate just told me this morning that I'm freaking him out with my recent smiling so I guess I'm the same._

 _(13:28) I've already told her this, but I really like talking to her._

(13:29) glad we got this sorted out

(13:30) also, i'll be happy to give you blackmail material on her shall need arise

 _(13:32) I'm taking what I said about your friendship back. Women are scary._

(13:33) so my point has come across. brilliant!

(13:34) good luck, mystery boy

 _(13:36) Thank you._

 _(13:38) Did we have this conversation?_

(13:40) sharp boy

(13:41) never happened unless it's an emergency, in which case, we shall contact each other again

 _(13:43) Duly noted._

/

 _(13:30) Midoriya, have you told Iida anything?_

 **(13:34) I promised I wouldn't, didn't I?**

 _(13:36) Okay._

 **(13:45) Can I ask why?**

 _(13:47) I wanted to tell him myself._

 **(13:47) It's serious, isn't it?**

 _(13:48) I don't half-ass things, Midoriya._

 **(13:48) You know what I meant.**

 _(13:50) I don't intend to stop talking to her. Not anytime time soon and not unless I have a good reason, anyway._

 _(13:51) So Iida has every right to know. He is my friend, after all._

 **(13:53) Why so suddenly?**

 _(13:54) Sudden is the last thing this is._

 **(13:54) Let me rephrase that.**

 _(13:57) Has your brainstorming proved effective? Because Uraraka looks very worried about your mumbling._

 **(13:59) What was the trigger?**

 _(14:03) Her best friend texted me (it used to be her number) and she mentioned something about her being happy while talking to me. Coupled with what Bakugou said, I realised that she's becoming part of my real life._

 **(14:04) Never knew you could be so romantic, Todoroki.**

 _(14:06) It's not that. I just like talking to her._

 **(14:06) You know I trust you. If you trust her, I'll try to, as well.**

 _(14:07) She was rooting for you and Uraraka._

 **(14:09) It's not like that!**

 _(14:09) You're blushing._

 **(14:13) Look, I'm not saying she's a serial killer. But I will feel better if I had her number, too.**

 **(14:15) I see you glaring at your phone and it isn't going to melt if you keep at it.**

 **(14:17) I promise not to message her unless it's an emergency.**

 _(14:21) … Fine._

 **(14:21) Should I feel flattered that it only took you 8 minutes to accept?**

 _(14:22) Your angelic face is a lie._

 **Sixth period**

 _(15:02) Hey._

 _(15:03) Iida, there's something I need to talk to you about._

 _(15:07) I'm all ears._

 _(15:07) Or eyes, in this particular (and peculiar) case._

 _(15:10) You have noticed me on my phone yesterday, talking to Midoriya. The short version is that I have met someone through a wrong number accident and we're getting along pretty well._

 _(15:11) I thought you should know because I don't want to hide things from you. And I won't stop talking to her either, so._

 _(15:12) I'm ready to give you the long version, if you want._

 _(15:14) I'm glad you trusted me with this. If you're okay with Uraraka-kun finding out as well, you can share it with us._

 _(15:15) She's part of the group, so yeah, she should know, too._

 _(15:15) Thanks for understanding._

 _(15:16) We're always here for you, Todoroki. Never forget that._

/

 **(15:22) i dunno what your friend has done to todoroki but hes having a meeting with his whole group**

 **(15:24) they look so serious like theyre planning a coup or something**

(15:26) coup d'etat is the term you're looking for

(15:27) and i've talked to him today. he's a decent guy, from what i could gather

 **(15:28) he is. pretty silent most of the time but he talks when it counts**

(15:29) maybe we won't need to butt in as much as i thought

 **(15:30) aw there goes my fun**

 **(15:31) can i still tease him tho?**

(15:32) sure, be my guest

 **Sixth Period**

 **Chat: The Bakusquad**

 **ElectroBolt** : your family tree must be a cactus because everybody on it is a prick

 **Cellophane** : If I had a face like yours, I'd sue my parents

 **ElectrBbolt** : roses are red, violets are blue, god made me pretty, what happened to you?

 **Cellophane** : Your mind is on vacation but your mouth's working overtime

 **ElectroBolt** : why dont you slip into something more comfortable, like a coma?

 **Cellophane** : Keep rolling your eyes, perhaps you'll find a brain back there

 **Red Riot:** I have a good one!

 **Red Riot** : I'd like to see things from your point of view, but I can't get my head that far up my ass.

 **ElectroBolt** : weak

 **ElectroBolt** : how did you get here? did someone leave the cage open?

 **Cellophane** : Wipe your mouth, there's still a tiny bit of bullshit around your lips.

 **Explodo McExplode** : Are you always this stupid or is today a special occasion?

 **Red Riot** : And here he is, the king of insults!

 **Explodo McExplode** : What are you fuckers doing?! We're in the middle of class with Mic.

 **ElectroBolt** : thats the whole point of this game! whoever laughs gets caught and that means detention with the loudest teacher in existence!

 **ElectroBolt** : were going until the last one stands, soldiers!

 **Explodo McExplode** : Is your ass jealous of the amount of shit that comes out of your mouth?

 **Red Riot** : And thus Bakugou joins the fray! Let the real games begin.

 **Explodo McExplode** : I don't engage in mental combat with the unarmed.

 **Cellophane** : Support bacteria- they're the only culture some people have.

 **ElectroBolt** : dude, are you googling this?

 **Red Riot** : I'm jealous of people who haven't met you.

 **ElectroBolt** : you look like your face caught on fire and someone tried to put it out with a hammer.

 **Explodo McExplode** : Out of 100,000 sperm, you were the fastest?!

 **Cellophane** : That's all you can do?

 **Cellophane** : If you really want to know about mistakes, you should ask your parents.

 **Explodo McExplode** : I could eat a bowl of alphabet soup and crap out a smarter comeback than what you've just said, fucker.

 **Red Riot:** crap

 **ElrectroBolt** : i shall avenge the fall of our brother! Kirishima, i won't let your death be in vain!

 **Explodo McExplode** : I bet your brain feels as good as new, seeing that you don't use it.

 **Cellophane** : If you are going to be two faced, at least make one of them pretty.

 **Explodo McExplode** : You're so ugly you scare the shit back into people.

 **ElectroBolt** : i have neither the time nor the crayons to explain this to you.

 **Explode McExplode** : What are you going to wear for a face when the baboon wants its ass back?

 **ElectroBolt** : its been a pleasure, gentlemen

 **Cellophane** : And now Kaminari's out. Looks like it's just the two of us, Bakugou.

 **Explodo McExplode** : How many times do I need to flush to get rid of you?!

 **Cellophane** : Do you still love nature, despite what it did to you?

 **Explodo McExplode** : I'd slap you, but shit stains.

 **Cellophane** : The last time I saw someone with a face like yours, I fed it a banana.

 **Explodo McExplode** : So you've changed your mind, does this one work any better?

 **Explodo McExplode** : You are proof that God has a sense of humor.

 **Explodo McExplode:** Hah, is this all you can do before you get caught, dipshits?!

 **Explodo McExplode:** FUCK!

 **Tuesday evening**

(19:28) kaminari? Are you okay? You haven't responded to my messages since noon!

 **(20:30) sorry**

 **(20:31) detention**

(20:34) what did you do this time?!

(20:34) please tell me you guys haven't tried putting toothpaste in Bakugou's soup again!

 **(20:36) not this time tho that was funny as all hell**

 **(20:37) we had an insult contest**

 **(20:38) whoever got caught lost and i ranked third this time**

 **(20:38) i need to up my game, sero beat me!**

(20:39) let me guess, Bakugou won

 **(20:40) he did**

 **(20:41) but then he snorted when he saw everyone else was out and got caught too**

 **(20:41) so he had detention with us**

(20:42) it sounds like you guys had a blast

(20:43) we did!

 **(20:44) you should join one of the sessions**

(20:45) count me out

(20:46) mina sounds interested tho

 **(20:47) awesome! more people makes it more fun!**

 **(20:48) looks like Bakugou has plans for the party! i'll be off!**

(20:50) try not to get into more trouble

 **(20:51) you know thats impossible**

/

 **The Bakusquad**

 **Explodo McExplode** : CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DIPSHITS GOT ME INTO DETENTION!

 **Red Riot** : Dude, you got yourself into detention.

 **Cellophane** : This is where making fun of your friends gets you

 **Explodo McExplode** : Whatever.

 **ElectroBolt** : are you sulking now? because i think you totally are!

 **Explodo McExplode** : I am NOT, shit for brains!

 **Explodo McExplode** : Anyway.

 **Explodo McExplode** : Useless Deku might be useful for once.

 **Cellophane** : Are you finally admitting that you don't actually hate him? Because it's high time you did

 **Explodo McExplode** : Go fuck yourself.

 **ElectroBolt** : you gonna tell us what he did or not?

 **Explodo McExplode:** He said he could talk freaky hands into letting us do the mannequin challenge and some other "harmless pranks" as long as we can provide lights for round face.

 **Red Riot** : The Christmas lights Tsuyu was talking about?

 **ElectroBolt** : i can get those

 **Cellophane** : Really?

 **ElectroBolt** : yeah. i can work in dad's garage and fix us some Christmas lights: Tokyo style

 **Explodo McExplode:** Who would have guessed, you are more than just blonde hair!

 **Cellophane** : So we can proceed with the Christmas Party Plan (or as I like to call it, the CPP)?

 **Explodo McExplode:** Yes. (Also, the CPP is a fucking stupid name. We need something more badass.)

/

 **(21:20) ***You've got yourself a deal, shit for brains.*****

 **(21:25) You'll actually do it?! Thanks, Kacchan.**

 **(21:26) ***Whatever. Just get us the DJ and the dance floor spot for an hour.*****

 **(21:29) I'll see what I can do.**

/

(21:02) I have been banned from scrabble night.

 _(21:03) You have scrabble nights?_

(21:04) We have game nights at least once a week, and tonight, Ashido though scrabble would be a fun way to both bond and expand our English vocabulary.

(21:04) And then she kicked me out of the game saying I was cheating!

 _(21:05) Did you use a dictionary?_

(21:05) No! But in her words, "we are not allowed to play with dictionaries and you basically are one, so you're out!"

 _(21:06) Maybe you should take it as a compliment._

 _(21:09) For my own curiosity, what was the word you wanted to form?_

(21:10) There was RAT on the table and I had all the letters to make BIOSTRATIGRAPHIC!

 _(21:11) Rather than "nerd", I believe you fit the description of "dork" quite well. Much better than I do, anyway._

(21:11) I thought you weren't fond of labels.

 _(22:12) I am not. I am merely referring to the definition of "dork" you quoted yesterday, stating that you are passionate enough about what you do (scrabble, in this instance) to you start using '!', which is a rare occurrence in our messaging history._

(21:13) You're saying I'm a scrabble dork?

 _(21:14) I'm merely saying that you get 100% into what you do and I think that's what the word "dork" should describe._

(21:15) I think I'll take this as a compliment.

(21:19) Ahh I want to play! Kyouka has the letters to make CALL into QUIZZICALLY and she doesn't seize the chance!

 _(21:21) My point exactly._

(21:22) I just like Scrabble.

 _(21:22) I have a faint feeling you like all the games where you can use your brains._

(21:22) But they're fascinating!

(21:25) Ashido could make GEN into OXYGENIZING!

 _(21:26) How do you even see them?_

(21:27) My parents are busy people. As a child, I've resorted to the other thing that could entertain me in my house: books. Japanese, English or French, I read whatever fell in my hands.

(21:28) My favourites were encyclopedias, though.

 _(21:28) That's impressive. You can speak French?_

(21:29) My parents thought it'd offer professional advantages, so they encouraged me too.

 _(21:31) That's quite something._

(21:31) Maybe, but at times, it felt really lonely.

 _(21:32) I think I can understand that._

(21:32) Don't you have siblings?

 _(21:33) I do, but I didn't really… spend time with them as a child._

 _(21:35) It's a long story._

(21:36) I guess that got depressive quickly. Sorry.

 _(21:37) You apologised._

(21:37) Ah, okay.

(21:37) What do you want to know?

 _(21:38) What's your favourite Disney song?_

(21:38) Well that was a sudden change of topic. Back to Disney, aren't we?

 _(21:38) We must live up to our reputation as dorks._

 _(21:39) I think this is the only social label I'll accept and with the aforementioned tweaks to its definition._

(21:39) I think like that notion, too.

(21:41) But to answer your question… Ah, this is rather difficult. I'll Make a Man out of You and I Can Go the Distance are both amazing songs, and Disney even has funny songs like Friend Like Me…

(21:41) But I think I'll have to go with Part of Your World.

 _(21:42) You have good taste._

(21:42) What's yours?

 _(21:42) I'm Still Here. I've just listened to it too many times to have any doubts about it._

(21:43) Wonderful choice. You really *are* a Disney fan!

 _(21:43) I can't believe you were doubting me._

(21:44) This is totally random, But Ashido threatened to steal my phone unless I thank you (on her behalf) for keeping me busy because apparently, I was mumbling possible scrabble-words under my breath.

 _(21:45) Tell her I'm the one who's thanking her for banning you from the game so I could talk to you._

 _(21:48) WNG?_

(21:50) She has applauded you for being "so smooth".

(21:50) Also, she was loud enough to get our homeroom teacher to send us back to our rooms so Scrabble night is over.

 _(21:51) Is this my subtle cue to leave you be?_

(21:51) Not necessarily. I just thought you may want to get some sleep.

 _(21:52) Thank you. Good night, your Dorkiness._

(21:52) Good night, Volleyball (and Disney) Dork.

/

(21:46) you're cute, giggling at your phone like that

(21:46) did mystery boy strike again?

(21:50) I think I may be too curious for my own good.

(21:52) isn't now a little late for that? i mean, you *have* been listening to "i'm still here" ever since we got back in the room and if you tell me he's got nothing to do with it, i'm calling bullshit

(21:30) He doesn't seem dangerous though…

(21:32) Is it bad that I enjoy talking to him?

(21:31) it isn't

(21:32) But I barely know him.

(21:34) never having seen his face doesn't mean you don't know him. you know a bunch of personal stuff about him! you know about his cat, and about his disney movie obsession, and that he's a volleyball god or something!

(21:38) I guess…

(21:39) Thanks, Kyouka.

(21:43) anytime

/

(21:52) i think this is going well

 **(21:53) bakugou texted us after club and said "todorokis gross but whatever happened motivated him today at practice so im not gonna complain about the shithead"**

(21:55) i really hope this works out

 **(21:57) me too! then we can go on double dates!**

(21:59) remind me why i'm dating you

 **(22:02) because you love my charm?**

(22:03) you are so so lucky to have me

 **(22:04) i am**

 **(22:09) jirou? you there?**

 **(22:13) jirouuuuuu**

(22:17) oh shut up!

 **(22:19) hehe**

* * *

Hello again!  
Sorry for the delay guys, but chapter 3 is finally here, and you have hopefully enjoyed it (and all the Disney references because I am a total Disney fan, in case you couldn't tell).  
Anyway, the Bakusquad has been really fun to write! The insult contest idea is something I borrowed from another GREAT wrong number au fic called It's Not a Big Deal, and as soon as I saw it I thought of Bakugou and the others. I changed all the insults and the mechanism of the game though, but the idea remained, so I'll give credit where credit is due.  
Also, I am overwhelmed by the positive reception of this fic! It started out as a crack fic but now I'm supper attached to it! If you'll believe it, it even got fanart ahsjklkasiwndw!

As always, thank you guys for everything and till next time!


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** In which plans get set in motion and they escalate much quicker than anyone could have predicted.

Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shouto  
Underlined is Jirou  
Bold underlined is **Kaminari**  
Bold is **Midoriya**  
Italics underlined is Iida

* * *

 **4\. Masterplans and Tangled (I Just Enjoy You Screaming at Me in the Comments)**

* * *

 **Wednesday, 8th December**

 **Wednesday Morning**

 _(06:59) I think we have managed the impossible._

(07:08) And a good morning to you too.

 _(07:09) Did I wake you up?_

(07:10) Not really. I've already gone out for a jog.

(07:10) Kyouka is pissed at you, though.

 _(07:11) My apologies to her._

(07:12) I can't tell whether she accepted them or not because she has buried herself under a pillow and only grunted when I spoke to her.

 _(07:13) I deeply apologise to your sleepy friend._

(07:13) She'll be happier about it after she drinks her milk with coffee.

 _(07:13) Milk with coffee? Do you mean coffee milk?_

(07:14) No, I mean milk with coffee. She claims it's coffee with milk but it's really 3 parts milk 1 part coffee, so...

(07:14) But, you had news?

 _(07:15) Actually, yes. Remember my teammate, the one who threw his pencil case at me yesterday?_

(07:15) Oh how could I forget, Lord Grumpy himself.

 _(07:16) I like this "Lord Grumpy". I shall use it and see if it annoys him more than "King of Explosion Murders"._

(07:17) I don't even think I want to know.

 _(07:17) You probably don't._

 _(07:18) Anyway, believe it or not, the same person has (begrudgingly) accepted to assist me, Midoriya and Iida in our master plan for the Christmas Party._

(07:18) There are too many things I want to ask right now, but I'll start with the obvious "how"?

 _(07:20) Midoriya and Bakugou (that's "Lord Grumpy") have been friends since childhood. Well, if you can call Bakugou's repeated attempts at murdering Midoriya friendship, that is. As such, Midoriya has approached Bakugou yesterday with a suggestion: shall he help us with our plan, we would persuade Iida to allow Bakugou and his friends an hour in control of the dancefloor and DJ spot._

(07:21) Your description of Bakugou leads me to believe this can't end well.

 _(07:22) On the contrary, I believe it'll be quite funny._

(07:22) Do you call wreaking havoc and possibly setting the school on fire (his name leaves room for no other interpretation) "funny"?

 _(07:23) He wants to do the mannequin challenge._

(07:23) Oh.

(07:23) That… is actually quite tame.

 _(07:25) He has a foul mouth and aggressive behaviour, but his friends are nice people. I trust them not to kill us all._

(07:26) I'm not sure your trusting someone should count. After all, you're talking to me without ever even having seen my face.

 _(07:27) Same goes for you._

(07:27) Touche.

(07:28) Either way, what is this plan of yours that requires the assistance of a not-yet-confirmed pyroman?

 _(07:29) Remember how I said that Midoriya's crush's birthday was coming up?_

(07:29) I do.

 _(07:31) Well it's on the 26th of December. Her family doesn't live in the city, so she'll have to leave right after the Christmas Party. And since we'll spend the 23rd preparing the party, which is on the 24th, she won't get to see the city light up. She's wanted to see the lights since she came to Tokyo and was so disappointed when she found out the biggest tree only gets lit up on the 24th… we thought we'd recreate that._

(07:31) Aww! That's so nice of you!

(07:32) But how do you intend to recreate that huge tree in a school?

 _(07:32) You may be forgetting, but I study at UA. And the Christmas party here is a huge deal, because All Might is responsible for organising it each year and he is obsessed with American culture._

 _(07:34) We're going to hold the party in one of the sport halls, because of their sheer size… and since Midoriya is All Might's favourite student (there is even a theory going around that he is his secret love child) he will have a chance at persuading All Might to let us buy a huge tree._

(07:35) Is Midoriya that… muscular, as well?

 _(07:37) Oh no, they look nothing alike. But they think exactly the same._

(07:37) I see…

(07:38) Where would you find a tree like the one in the centre, anyway?

 _(07:40) One of our classmate's boyfriend's family is selling trees for Christmas._

(07:41) Your class sure has connections, huh?

(07:41) And how is this Bakugou exactly involved in the masterplan?

 _(07:42) 1. He doesn't set the tree on fire (he hasn't attacked trees yet, but we don't take any chances) 2. One of the guys in his group is great with anything involving electrical circuits, and he'll provide the lights for this huge tree._

(07:44) Do you think he can actually manage to make such a huge circuit work?

 _(07:45) He can. When Bakugou and his friends put their mind to something, there's no way they'll fail. And I'm pretty sure having control over the party for an hour has motivated him._

 _(07:46) I just wish he directed that sort of energy in improving his receives in volleyball._

(07:46) How do you even work together if he has a temper like that?

 _(07:47) Oh, you get used to it and develop a defense mechanism against his foul mouth after a while._

 _(07:47) He can be surprisingly calm in matches, and makes good quick decisions._

(07:48) Huh. Sounds like a complex character.

(07:50) Ah, I have to go to class. Keep me updated on your master plan?

 _(07:51) Sure._

 **First Period**

 _(09:07) Todoroki, I have been thinking about what you told us yesterday._

 _(09:08) Couldn't you search her friend on social networks and make out who she is?_

 _(09:09) She could have done the same and find out who I was, because she knows my school and that I am the setter of the volleyball team, but she didn't._

 _(09:10) I don't want to betray her trust._

 _(09:12) How do you know she didn't do it?_

 _(09:13) She's incredibly honest and apologetical. She told me she stalked All Might, remember?_

 _(09:14) Well, what she did doesn't really catalogate as "stalking."_

 _(09:15) She… conducted research._

 _(09:16) My point exactly._

 _(09:20) I don't want to ruin this._

 _(09:22) Alright then. Forget I asked._

 **Second period**

(10:04) at what fucking time do you wake up?!

 _(10:07) You haven't drank the coffee with milk yet?_

(10:07) i have but it didn't make my annoyance with you disappear

 _(10:08) Trying putting 2 parts coffee one part milk, it may help._

(10:08) just what is WRONG with you?! has your bed done anything AGAINST you?!

 _(10:09) I have club activities early in the morning._

 _(10:11) Is yelling at me the only reason for this exchange?_

(10:12) ONLY?!

(10:12) I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW THIS IS REASON ENOUGH YOUNG MAN!

 _(10:13) For all you know, I could be older than you, in which case yelling at me would be really impolite._

(10:13) well are you?!

 _(10:14) How would I know?_

(10:14) oh.

(10:14) well we are first years

 _(10:15) Same here._

(10:15) SO I *CAN* YELL AT YOU!

 _(10:16) Did we not agree to text in case of emergencies only?_

(10:16) THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!

(10:17) in the future, keep your texting within business hours

 _(10:17) Duly noted._

(10:18) god, how did she find someone who also wakes up at ungodly hours?! i swear, you guys were meant to meet

(10:19) and you should be much more thankful toward me, i am the reason why you two started talking in the first place!

 _(10:20) We shall try to show more respect in the future, Jirou-sama._

(10:22) aren't you a fast learner?

 **Third period**

(11:03) kaminari, do you ever feel that you're surrounded by obnoxious people?

 **(11:05) what happened?**

(11:06) my friendship with Yaomomo happened

(11:07) why did i ever think moving in with her was a good idea?!

(11:06) "it's okay kyouka, she'll help you with homework, she's your best friend! what can possibly go wrong?!"

 **(11:09) well what went wrong?**

(11:11) EVERYTHING!

(11:11) first her wng wakes me up at freaking 7 AM because your school has NO CHILL when it comes to volleyball

(11:12) then OF COURSE Yaomomo takes my crackers because i went to the party and she wiped my puke and she made an agreement and made me SIGN it and now i can't back out of it

(11:13) like what is this, a BLOOD OATH?!

(11:14) and now she kindly reminded me that tonight i'll be taking over her cleaning duty because heck, why not?! let's make kyouka's day even MORE miserable!

 **(11:15) do you want me to bring you a smoothie? i could grab one at starbucks and drop by after school**

(11:16) can the smoothie clean the common room in my stead…?

 **(11:16) it cant**

 **(11:16) but i could**

(11:18) i doubt eraserhead would let you in the dorms

 **(11:18) ah right**

 **(11:18) im sorry**

(11:19) it's okay

(11:22) uhm, that was actually sweet and it made me feel better

(11:22) thank you

(11:25) you're totally grinning like an idiot right now, aren't you?

 **(11:26) bakugou just flicked my forehead so i guess so**

(11:26) i'm never praising you again

 **(11:27) well thats a bummer**

 **(11:27) see you later? with a strawberry smoothie**

(11:27) ah, friends who appreciate me! such a delight! how refreshing!

 **(11:28) yaomomo loves you too**

 **(11:28) best friends who arent mean to each other arent real best friends**

(11:29) even so, don't let bakugou kill you, please

(11:29) i want that smoothie

 **(11:30) ha**

 **(11:30) very funny**

(11:31) kyouka 1 kaminari 0

(12:03) btw, how are things on your front?

 **(12:07) two of his friends have been suspiciously engrossed in their phones today**

 **(12:08) i sense interesting developments up ahead**

(12:13) i'll get my popcorn ready

 **Fourth Period**

 _(11:59) Midoriya, I know Todoroki won't research this girl's background until he has permission to, but I couldn't help but look a bit into it._

 _(12:03) I won't tell Todoroki about my findings, but I needed to check if she was indeed not dangerous._

 **(12:03) I… did the same.**

 _(12:05) Oh. Then this shall be easy._

 _(12:07) My research indicates that most of the photos of Kyouka Jirou, first year student at Shiketsu High, include 3 other girls: Ashido Mina, Momo Yaoyorozu and Hagakure Tooru._

 _(12:08) From these three profiles, the only one that mentions anything about science fairs is Yaoyorozu's._

 _(12:08) Further proof is this image of the two of them I found, with the caption "best roommate"._

 **(12:09) I went a bit further and checked Shiketsu's site, scanning for her name. She is listed under last year's accepted with recommandation.**

 **(12:09) She was accepted at UA too, but chose Shiketsu.**

 _(12:10) Interesting. Sounds like an intelligent woman._

 _(12:10) She is also quite good looking._

 **(12:11) Are we being too nosy?**

 _(12:13) We're just worried about our friend. This shouldn't bring any harm to him._

 **(12:14) Yeah.**

 **/**

 **(12:30) his friends have been stalking you**

 **(12:30) at least i think so because i passed by one of them and he had your facebook profile opened**

(12:34) this surely is escalating quicker than i expected

 **(12:37) just be careful. we don't want them catching onto us**

(12:38) trust my acting skills some more

(12:38) besides, i have no intention of sticking my nose too deep where it doesn't belong

(12:38) i'm simply here for the drama

 **(12:39) and for yaomomos happiness**

 **(12:45) stop pretending you dont know what im talking about**

(12:48) i'm mad, okay?! she stole my dessert!

 **Lunch Break**

(12:46) You know what's better than a delicious slice of tiramisu?

 _(12:49) Soba?_

(12:52) I was actually going to say " **two** delicious slices of tiramisu", but you ruined it.

 _(12:53) Ups? Soba *is* delicious, though._

 _(12:54) Did you take Jirou's share?_

(12:54) That was our agreement, after all. And she can't deny it, because I had her sign it.

 _(12:55) Your relationship is a mystery to me._

(12:55) Don't say that when you're constantly teasing Midoriya about his crush.

 _(12:56) I only do it when she isn't around, which is actually not a lot._

(12:58) Oh?

 _(12:59) She's in our class and she's a very close friend of Midoriya and Iida's, so we spend most of the time together._

(13:02) They must be really oblivious if they aren't dating yet.

 _(13:03) About that… Me and Iida have a plan._

(13:03) This could be either a triumphant success or an embarrassing failure.

 _(13:04) I'll ignore your lack of trust in us and just say that it involves the Christmas Party, slow music and mistletoe._

(13:05) And you're sure that'll persuade them to start dating?

 _(13:05) We are only giving them the means. What they do is their own concern._

 _(13:06) But I'm pretty sure Midoriya'll make a move. Lately, he's been twitchy whenever someone mentions Uraraka's birthday or the Christmas Party._

 _(13:06) It's only a matter of time until he freaks out and asks me and Iida to go shopping with him for Uraraka's gift._

(13:08) That actually sounds pretty cute.

(13:08) So this Uraraka girl is his crush?

 _(13:10) I am terrible at protecting the identities of others, aren't I?_

(13:10) No offense, but you kinda are.

 _(13:11) None taken. Make a note to yourself to never entrust me with some sort of password or code._

(13:12) Or you'll divulge it to a wrong number?

 _(13:12) So time has proven._

(13:13) It's okay, I promise not to target your friends.

 _(13:15) That doesn't make you sound exactly trustworthy._

(13:15) Neither does you telling me your friends' name, but I don't judge.

 _(13:18) Point._

 **Sixth period**

 _(15:59) I need your input on something._

 _(16:00) Me and Iida have a disagreement._

(16:02) I'm listening.

 _(16:02) Strauss or Debussy?_

(16:04) If you're asking me to choose between The Beautiful Blue Danube and Clair de Lune, I'm going with the first one for your Midoriya x Uraraka setup, simply because it's much easier to dance to and because the latter *screams* "just kiss already", which may be a tad bit too obvious.

 _(16:06) I knew I could trust you._

 _(16:06) Iida keeps insisting on Clair de Lune, but that just won't work for a party, right?_

(16:07) To be honest, I doubt classical music will fit in your party at all, but…

 _(16:07) We have a great DJ. He can make rock fit with classical music and kpop with jazz. I trust him to fit a waltz in there._

(16:08) I'm surprised you're going for classical music. I was sure you'd choose a modern, slow-paced piece?

 _(16:08) Using classical music is mine and Iida's way of "signing" ourselves. As soon as Midoriya and Uraraka will hear it, I'm pretty sure they'll know it's a dedication from us._

(16:12) You listen to classical music?

 _(16:14) Uhm, yes?_

(16:15) Kyouka keeps insisting nobody does so anymore and that my old vinyl discs are an endangered species. But you are living proof that I'm not the only old school teenager!

 _(16:16) Old school is another social label._

 _(16:16) But I admit, I didn't expect anyone else to even know who Strauss and Debussy are anymore._

(16:17) I have to tell her!

 _(16:17) That I am an "old school" kid?_

(16:18) That there is someone who shares my taste in music.

 _(16:22) Don't forget the Disney soundtracks._

(16:26) How could I?

 **/**

(16:18) People *do* listen to classical music.

(16:18) i think your wng should be banished from giving you more reasons to make my day shitty

(16:19) i was hoping he'd be a good influence on you and yet here i am, hopes crushed, ego trampled, stomach empty because someone stole my dessert (my favourite desert, might i add) and head full of stories about this wng

(16:19) And also with a boyfriend courtesy of your friend who accompanied you to the party, whose socks you mercilessly ruined, for which you still have to take me out shopping this weekend.

(16:20) cruel world, as i was saying

(16:22) i see you basically bouncing in your seat so tell me. what'd he say?

(16:23) He listens to Debussy. And to classical music in general.

(16:25) are you sure you aren't soulmates or something? i mean, disney dorks and morning birds? with a common affinity for old music?

(16:25) a match made in hell, if you ask me

(16:27) Don't worry, I wasn't asking you.

(16:28) you WOUND me

(16:28) does this mean you don't need to consult me about wng anymore?

(16:28) I didn't say _that._

(16:29) oh? i thought it was heavily implied

(16:29) i *could* however, kind as i am, look past this slip-up. the lack of sugar makes me cranky though…

(16:32) I'll only take your dessert for the rest of this week?

(16:33) perhaps a week without my guidance would do you well, make you more independent and everything

(16:24) You are *mean*.

(16:24) Take your dessert back.

(16:25) ah, so our friendship WASN'T a lie after all!

(16:26) I'll play Debussy tonight. Right before I watch Tangled.

(16:29) too bad i won't be around to make fun of you, because i have cleaning duty in YOUR place

(16:33) Sweet, sweet freedom.

 **Wednesday evening**

(19:45) what do people normally hide behind the couch?

 **(19:56) small change? drum sticks? skeletons?**

(19:58) what the hell is bakugou making you do?!

(19:58) and no, the answer was dictionaries

 **(19:58) what?!**

(19:59) look if you don't believe me

(20:00) [Photo sent]

 **(20:02) an english dictionary? why?**

(20:02) my guess is that someone is trying to cheat at scrabble night. if so, they shall be punished

(20:03) i'll have yaomomo look into this with me. it's crazy for her to be thrown out of scrabble night when someone else is cheating!

 **(20:04) aww**

(20:06) what?

 **(20:07) you *do* care for her!**

(20:07) she may be annoying, but we've been together ever since we were little

(20:08) i'm the only one who's allowed to make fun of her!

 **(20:08) as you say, jirou**

 **(20:10) is strawberry fine? for the smoothie, i mean**

(20:11) yessss!

 **(20:14) i'll be at ua in 15**

 **/**

(20:21) Did you persuade Bakugou to let you guys play The Blue Danube?

 _(20:45) I'll talk directly with the DJ. Going to Bakugou for that will only get me a bump on the head._

(20:47) Club ran late again?

 _(20:48) Yeah. All Might says we have a practice match next week, but he won't tell us with who yet. Says he wants to see us adapt to a new situation._

(20:49) Wait, isn't All Might your English teacher?

 _(20:50) He is, but he used to be a pro volleyball player. He had to retire due to health problems, so he decided to get a teaching licence and watch over the club as our advisor._

(20:50) He must be really passionate about volleyball.

 _(20:50) He was the best wing spiker Japan has ever seen._

(20:51) Waw. Is that why Midoriya admires him so much?

 _(20:51) That too, but there's more to it. All Might was Japan's Team Captain and he had a way of encouraging his teammates to fight, making them better than ever._

 _(20:52) He's the kind of player we all aspire to be._

(20:53) Isn't it hard on him, not being able to play anymore?

 _(20:53) I think he still lives the thrill of the matches through us. He cried after our last victory at the nationals._

(20:54) You have a good teacher there.

(20:54) I know I complain about Aizawa-sensei (that's my PE teacher), but he puts a lot of heart into what he does and never underestimates us.

(20:55) He's the trainer of our volleyball team, in fact. Maybe you have met him before.

 _(20:56) Actually, I've never played a match against Shiketsu high. No first year has, in fact._

 _(20:56) They got eliminated early in the qualifier phase for the nationals this year, so we didn't have a chance to meet them._

(20:57) I heard… the team was in quite low spirits. It was the first time I've seen Aizawa-sensei make a soft face.

 _(20:58) They probably just had a bad day._

 _(20:58) I heard their offense is crazy. Apparently there's this first year wing spiker, Inasa, who moves so fast you can barely see him. His height makes him a great blocker, too._

(20:59) So you are a first year?

 _(21:00) I'm sorry?_

(21:00) Your earlier message. "No first year has, in fact".

 _(21:01) Oh. Yes._

(21:01) Me too.

 _(21:02) Huh. So we're the same age._

(21:03) This is bizarre, right? There are just too many coincidences.

 _(21:03) Well, rather than bizarre, I'd say we're lucky. It's not every day I meet a high school girl who listens to Debussy and watches Disney movies._

(21:04) Speaking of, I'll get back to my homework so I can watch Tangled later.

 _(21:05) Sounds like a plan. Tell me what you thought of it, I'm genuinely curious._

(21:05) Is our relationship going to be determined by what I thought of your favourite Disney movie?

 _(21:07) Perhaps._

 **/**

(22:33) aren't you a joy, sprawled on your bed, homework done, ready to binge an animated feature, while the girl you nonchalantly call your "best friend" is slaving over homework because she CLEANED THE COMMON ROOM IN YOUR STEAD!

(22:35) You agreed to it, it's not like you're Cinderella.

(22:38) Would you stop throwing things at me? I actually want to enjoy this movie without getting a lecture from Eraserhead.

(22:40) you and your wng will be the end of me

 **Thursday night, 9th December**

(00:06) i can't believe you're still awake

(00:18) I don't know how I'll fall asleep.

(00:18) that good?

(00:19) Definitely! I'm ready to rewatch it with you right away!

(00:20) i'll take you up on your offer some day, but if you're still awake, some help with the physics homework would be appreciated

(00:22) Coming.

 **/**

(00:05) I know you are asleep, but I need to put this down while my feelings are still fresh and memories unstained.

(00:05) I LOVED IT.

(00:08) And it isn't just the great animation or vivid colors (though granted, those were superb), it's *everything*. It's the frying pan jokes and Flynn's sass ("Fate, destiny…" "A horse."). And I begrudgingly admit that Flynn might be just a bit (a bit!) better than Aladdin. It's the talk about dreams and following them, and the fact that the show makes a point out of proving it's not necessarily easy to achieve them, and that you'll have to sacrifice things on the way, but that it's all worth it in the end.

(00:10) But more than anything, it's in Rapunzel's relationship with her "mother", because, unlike other Disney movies, Mother Gothel isn't your typical villain. She reminds me a bit of Silver from Treasure Planet, in that she cares for Rapunzel, not only for her hair (she has spent 18 years with her, she must have grown at least a bit attached to her), but unlike him, she isn't willing to let her go out of love. Her desire to remain young is bigger than her love for Rapunzel. She views her as an object, not as a person.

(00:12) But that isn't what I wanted to talk about. Mother Gothel is clearly an abusive parent, and while not being physically hurt, Rapunzel *is* emotionally abused. Her mother constantly teases her ("I see a strong, confident, beautiful young woman. Oh look, there's you too.") The whole point of the song "Mother Knows Best" is to drive home this idea. She makes Rapunzel feel guilty for as much as suggesting going outside, and she has almost no self-confidence.

(00:14) There are other Disney movies that have emotionally abused main characters, like Simba from The Lion King, but Scar wasn't a father figure to him. Mother Gothel is the only adult in Rapunzel's life, and she honestly believes every word she says. She even believes she is her biological mother up until the very end.

(00:16) The end was *so* gratifying because of that. We get to see Rapunzel actually trust herself, and talk back to her "mother". No other film executes this so well: talking with your abuser, blaming them. "I am the lost princess" she says, and it isn't a question. Simba needs Scar to tell him he is the murderer; Rapunzel figures this out all on her own, overcomes anxiety and becomes more than what her mother made her. She becomes a person, not an object. All by herself.

(00:17) So yeah… Sorry for the rant, but I needed to get this off my chest. It was beautiful, and I need to thank you for giving me the push to watch it.

(00:23) Good night, WNG!

 **/**

 _(05:32) It's not WNG, it's Todoroki Shouto._

* * *

AN: Hello again!

Long time no see, I know. In my defense, hates me because when I copy paste this it doesn't memorise the bold/underlined/italics so I have to reselect it all ughhh. If there are mistakes, that's the reason and I apologize. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this! It has more Jirou than other chapters, but she *does* deserve the spotlight.  
But yes, I'll stop ignoring the elephant in the room: the ending, right? It will be explained in chap 5, but I'm curious to hear you're thoughts on it, and you've probably already guessed what happened. Now you know why I chose Tangled as Shouto's favourite movie, too. As for Momo's reaction... I'll torture you until next chapter:) which will come sooner (as in Thursday or Friday hehe)  
Thank you for all the overwhelming love this fic has received! I've said it many times, but writing it is a blast and I hope you're smiling while reading, too!


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** In which identities are revealed and Jirou enjoys her daily drama.

Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shouto  
Bold is **Midoriya**  
Underlined is Jirou  
Bold underlined is **Kaminari**  
Italics underlined is Iida  
***Bold underlined*** is *****Bakugou*****

* * *

 **5\. Names and Faces ("Finally" I hear you say)**

* * *

 **Thursday, 9th December**

 **Thursday morning**

(06:13) Kyouka.

(06:13) Kyouka I know you'll hate me, but _please_ wake up.

(06:14) Please!

(06:18) I'm having a real crisis over here!

(06:19) for crying out loud it is 6 FUCKING AM

(06:19) this is two days in a row you're waking me up at ungodly hours and my patience is running thin.

(06:19) Thank God you're awake!

(06:19) if this is about wng i swear to god

(06:20) He's not Wng anymore.

(06:20) what?

(06:21) He texted me this morning and gave me his name. Todoroki Shouto.

(06:21) I've googled it and that's him! UA's setter!

(06:22) it's too early for this melodrama and i don't have the popcorn ready

(06:24) where are you anyway? your bed is empty

(06:24) I'm in the bathroom.

(06:24) I might have been squealing too hard and didn't want to wake you up.

(06:27) and yet you did so anyway

(06:27) But I don't know what to do? Do I tell him my name now? Do I joke about it?

(06:28) well what do you *want* to do?

(06:30) I want to tell him who I am.

(06:30) there you go then

(06:30) But what if I'm not what he expects? What if I'm not good enough?

(06:30) if i weren't so sleepy i'd walk over to the bathroom and slap you

(06:31) what are you talking about?! you are amazingly smart and beautiful. how could you not meet his expectations?!

(06:31) You haven't seen his photos Kyouka, he's _handsome._

(06:32) I mean he doesn't smile much (his friend was right, he does have a deadpan face) but that somehow suits him and makes him even more handsome? How is that even possible, Kyouka?

(06:34) do my eyes betray me or did you just say that?

(06:34) There's no point in lying, is there? He's very good looking. I am _no_ match for that.

(06:35) why did he tell you his name?

(06:35) I don't know! I left him a rant about Tangled after I finished the movie and his only response was his name.

(06:36) if he's enough of a weirdo to be charmed by your rants, i'm pretty sure you meet his standards

(06:36) What do I do, Kyouka?!

(06:37) you man up and send him your name, or so god help me i'll beat you up!

 **/**

 _(06:14) Midoriya, would you say I'm an idiot?_

 **(06:17) Given your performance in class I would rather describe you as intelligent, but in certain regards, especially in what concerns communication, your mind doesn't shine as brightly.**

 **(06:18) Should I ask why or would you like me to guess?**

 _(06:18) I told her my name._

 **(06:19) You… how? Why? When? What?**

 _(06:21) About half an hour ago, I guess._

 _(06:21) She watched Tangled yesterday and she *got* it, Midoriya. She actually got Rapunzel and what she went through._

 _(06:22) So I thought that maybe…_

 **(06:22) She could get you?**

 _(06:23) Yes._

 _(06:25) It's stupid, isn't it? Wishful thinking and all that._

 _(06:25) I've never told anyone besides you what happened in my family. Why would I even imagine a stranger could understand?_

 _(06:26) But for some strange reason, I feel like she actually *can* see past the scar._

 **(06:28) It's not stupid. Sometimes, sharing something with strangers is easier, isn't it?**

 _(06:30) I guess…_

 **(06:30) So she hasn't answered yet?**

 _(06:31) No, but maybe she's still asleep._

 **(06:33) You look anxious. Just trust your intuition to confide in her. Maybe you're right on this one.**

 _(06:35) I certainly hope so._

 **/**

(06:45) i promise i'll throw your phone into the cereal bowl if you keep overthinking this

(06:46) just send him your name! did you forget how to write it or something?!

(06:47) Have you not _seen_ those photos I showed you?

(06:49) I can't do this.

(06:52) have you not seen a goddamn MIRROR?!

(06:55) oh god stop pouting, you're giving me no choice but to act rational and philosophical and all that shit i'm not good at

(06:57) SIGHHHH

(06:57) do you enjoy talking to him?

(06:58) Of course I do.

(06:58) and you intend to keep doing that, right?

(06:59) Yes.

(06:59) and if things went well, you would have met at a point anyway. so what's the difference between that and giving him your name and letting him stalk you now?

(06:59) None…

(07:03) You're right, Kyouka. I need to do this. I need to man up.

(07:03) THAT'S MY GIRL!

(07:04) GO GET HIM!

 **/**

(07:05) Yaoyorozu Momo.

 **/**

 **(07:14) ***The half and half bastard is grinning at his phone again. What is that idiot up to?!*****

 **(07:15) Smiling is usually associated with happiness, Kacchan.**

 **(07:17) ***Happiness my ass, he's totally blushing, the creep.*****

 **(07:17) ***And he's staring at some girl's profile. FUCKING WEIRD.*****

 **(07:18) Can you see whose profile it is?**

 **(07:18) ***Some ponytail named Yaoyorozu.*****

 **(07:21) ***Why do you care, anyway?*****

 **(07:24) Just curious.**

 **/**

 **(07:22) It was Yaoyorozu indeed.**

 _(07:22) That took less time than expected._

 _(07:23) How did Todoroki react?_

 **(07:24) He hasn't said a word yet, but I give him three more minutes.**

 **/**

 _(07:27) Yaoyorozu Momo._

 **(07:27) A nice name.**

 _(07:28) It's not just her name that's nice. She is beautiful._

 **(07:29) Huh.**

 _(07:30) What?_

 **(07:30) Nothing, it's just that you don't usually seem interested in girls.**

 _(07:30) I'm not developing feelings for her, if that is what you are insinuating._

 _(07:31) But she isn't like other girls, either. She was willing to talk to me without knowing who I am, and without any ulterior motive._

 **(07:32) Are you afraid something will change between you now?**

 _(07:32) Why would it?_

 **(07:33) Todoroki…**

 **(07:34) Traditionally, people meet face to face first and appearances provide the first impression. In this case, the first impression was already formed, but that doesn't mean your faces are impactless.**

 _(07:35) She's smart and funny even without her looks._

 **(07:35) Are you saying those aren't a welcomed bonus?**

 _(07:38) Of course not._

 **(07:39) Wasn't that a pause?**

 _(07:39) Look Midoriya, just say what you want to say. I'm not good with double meanings._

 **(07:40) I'm saying things might be a bit awkward now, so you should try talking it through.**

 _(07:42) I think we'll be fine, thank you very much._

 **(07:43) I didn't mean to insult you, Todoroki.**

 **(07:53) Todoroki?**

 **(07:57) Look, I'm sorry, Todoroki. I truly am. Can we talk?**

 **First period**

 **(08:09) I messed up.**

 _(08:13) Midoriya-kun?_

 **(08:15) I shouldn't have butted in, but I just wanted to help!**

 **(08:15) Todoroki must hate me now!**

 _(08:16) Midoriya-kun, please calm down, you aren't making any sense! What happened?_

 **(08:17) I told Todoroki things might be awkward now that him and Yaoyorozu have exchanged names and I think he's angry with me.**

 _(08:18) His head *is* tilted five degrees to the right so…_

 **(08:18) This is not the time for jokes, Iida!**

 _(08:20) My point, Midoriya-kun, is that all you can do now is apologise and give him some space. I'm sure that deep down, he knows you only want the best for him. He just needs to sort out the cause of his anger._

 **(08:22) Yes… I guess so…**

 **Second period**

 **(09:05) Yaoyorozu-san, this might be quite sudden and I do apologise in advance for scaring you. This is Midoriya Izuku (I assume Todoroki didn't have the courtesy of hiding my name). He gave me your number just in case (or rather, I asked him to).**

(09:07) Well this is a surprise. I suppose Todoroki-san told you about the name exchange?

 **(09:08) You could say that. Although in all fairness, I had a hunch of who you were.**

(09:08) Figures. There was more than enough data.

(09:09) To what do I owe this pleasure, though?

 **(09:11) Ah, about that… There is no way I can phrase this without sounding insane, but well… Todoroki isn't exactly the most transparent guy. He may not account for the awkwardness that comes with the identity discovery.**

 **(09:12) I just wanted to ask you to overlook his direct behaviour.**

(09:12) Todoroki once told me you consider him socially inept, but I'd like to disagree. It's refreshing to talk to someone as frank as him, to be honest.

(09:13) And while I must admit that him suddenly telling me his name caught me by surprise, it was by no means unpleasant. No matter what he looked like, it wouldn't have changed the fact that he is intelligent and makes me laugh.

(09:13) If anything, I was more worried about not living up to the expectations myself.

(09:17) Uhm, Midoriya-kun?

 **(09:17) I'm sorry, I'm just so happy! You truly are a nice person!**

(09:17) Oh. Thank you.

 **(09:18) Please continue looking after him, Yaoyorozu-san.**

(09:18) I will, if he'll allow me to.

 **(09:19) I wouldn't be too worried about that if I were you.**

 **/**

 _(09:06) Yaoyorozu._

 _(09:06) Can I call you that?_

(09:10) Yes.

(09:10) Do I get to call you Todoroki-san?

 _(09:10) If you want to, yes._

(09:11) Wow. We finally have names other than Wng and Volleyball Dork, huh?

 _(09:11) I'll miss Not a Science Nerd._

(09:12) You didn't even use it that much to begin with!

 _(09:12) Yaoyorozu sounds much better though._

(09:13) Thank you.

(09:13) Uhm, Todoroki is a good name, too.

 _(09:13) Can I ask you something?_

(09:14) Certainly.

 _(09:14) Is this going to be weird? Because I've told you my name?_

(09:15) I don't think it has to be. I mean, I can't deny being surprised when I saw your message, but we would have gotten there eventually anyway, right?

(09:16) Besides, now I know you're real.

 _(09:16) I think you've said that before._

(09:17) Did I?

 _(09:17) Yes, when you found out I was studying at UA._

(09:18) You're right.

(09:18) It's funny, isn't it? That was on Monday, meaning four days ago. We haven't even talked for a week, and yet I feel like I've known you for at least a month!

 _(09:19) You're right. I never expected to feel so connected to someone I've never met._

(09:19) Can I ask you something, too?

 _(09:20) Go ahead._

(09:24) This is very awkward and I'm not sure how I should phrase it but… In case you've googled my name (and you probably have, I mean, that's only natural, right?) the question is… Was it what you expected?

 _(09:24) The way you look, you mean?_

(09:25) Ah, forget about it. It was a stupid thing to ask.

 _(09:25) I don't think I had any expectations. I never tried to imagine what you look like, except for the ponytail (which, by the way, suits you)._

 _(09:26) But I think you've surpassed any expectations I could have ever placed on you._

 _(09:26) Does this answer your question?_

 _(09:34) Yaoyorozu?_

 **Third period**

(10:12) i think you broke her

 _(10:14) Did I do something wrong?_

(10:14) she's not exactly good at replying to compliments

(10:14) but i can tell you she likes your butt and fancy hair. i know, i read her diary

 _(10:15) I am now certain you are her best friend._

(10:15) sheesh, she replayed that part like three times laughing out loud

(10:15) really tho, she's been gushing about you since morning (if you call yaomomo staring at her phone and mumbling "waw" gushing)

 _(10:16) Aren't you breaking a few friendship rules here by sharing this information with me?_

(10:16) you two have become my daily soap opera

(10:17) I NEED TO ADD TO THE DRAMA

(10:17) besides, what is friendship without blackmail?

 _(10:18) I should tell her about your betrayal, or at least give her a heads-up to gather blackmail material on you and your DJ._

(10:18) if only you knew, mystery boy

 _(10:19) Knew what?_

(10:19) ignorance is bliss

 **Fourth period**

(11:02) I'm sorry, I wasn't prepared for that.

 _(11:02) You apologized._

(11:03) You've surpassed my expectations too.

 _(11:03) Is that the random fact I'm getting about you or was it a compliment?_

(11:04) Both.

 _(11:04) Both._

(11:04) Both is good.

(11:05) Ah, this does feel normal (for our standards, at least).

 _(11:05) We use Disney memes as easily as breathing, Your Dorkiness._

(11:05) A part of me wants to laugh because both of us have just admitted to being stalkers but another part of me feels awfully embarrassed.

 _(11:06) We weren't stalking. As Iida would put it, we conducted research._

(11:06) And he would be right.

(11:07) Speaking of him, you guys have quite a lot of group photos. I guess you're really tight knit, huh?

 _(11:07) We are. Although that was Uraraka posting them from my profile because she claims "you need to let people know you're not living under a rock, Todoroki-kun!"_

(11:08) Not a fan of Facebook?

 _(11:08) I'm better with Instagram._

 _(11:09) Although Midoriya will probably yell that's a lie because I post cat photos most of the time._

(11:10) I don't mean to overstep my boundaries, but did you have a fight with Midoriya-kun?

 _(11:10) How did you know?_

(11:11) If you were quoting Midoriya, he would have given you a percentage. He's good with numbers, isn't he?

 _(11:12) It wasn't really a fight. He did nothing wrong. It was me who got angry at him._

 _(11:13) I sometimes get the feeling he's going too far for me. Not like he's butting in, it's the opposite: he gives up on things he himself wants for me._

 _(11:15) There was this one time when he pulled off spikes from the craziest places just to get me to improve my tosses and use techniques I wasn't comfortable with. He ended up breaking an arm._

(11:15) Do you feel guilty?

 _(11:15) I just feel like every time he looks after me, he gives up on caring for himself._

 _(11:16) Midoriya got so many injuries playing volleyball he looked like a walking disaster, and it was all either to accommodate to my tosses or to spike in a spot Bakugou couldn't block._

 _(11:17) So when he spoke to me earlier… I just felt like he's watching over me again, and got angry with myself, for always being protected by him._

(11:18) Isn't that proof that you both care for each other?

(11:18) Maybe the only way Midoriya knows how to care for you is by sacrificing himself, and you have to be there and teach him that there is another way.

(11:19) But unless you talk to him, he won't know that's how you're feeling and will continue to wrack his brains.

(11:21) Ah, I sounded like I was preaching! I'm sorry!

 _(11:21) You're right, and you aren't preaching._

 _(11:24) Thank you._

 **/**

 _(11:23) Midoriya, I should be apologising._

 _(11:23) If you're still willing to, can we talk? In the break?_

 **(11:24) Of course.**

 **Free period**

 _(12:13) I'm glad you two are okay again._

 **(12:13) I have a faint feeling his word choice has been influenced by a certain wrong number girl.**

 _(12:15) I never thought I'd say this, but she just might be the best thing that has happened to him._

 **Lunch break**

(13:02) Did things turn out alright with Midoriya?

 _(13:03) Yes. He accepted my apologies (he actually apologized too, though I'm not sure why). I'll go shopping with him for Uraraka's present to make it up to him._

(13:04) Do you have anything in mind?

 _(13:04) Well your Rudolph socks gave me some ideas._

(13:05) They'll be delighted to know they were of help.

 _(13:05) Please do thank them for me._

 _(13:06) I was thinking maybe gloves? Or a nice muffler, since hers looks a bit too thin._

 _(13:06) I'll have to get her something too, so can I send you photos when I go shopping? I like your fashion sense._

(13:08) Of course, I'll do my best to help!

(13:08) I'll conduct my own research on her to assess the situation.

 _(13:09) Your help is much appreciated._

(13:10) Don't forget the socks.

 _(13:10) Of course, they were the biggest help._

 **/**

(13:04) so, are you back to normal now?

(13:05) What do you mean?

(13:05) are you telling me you forgot about your crisis this morning?!

(13:06) "what if i don't meet his expectations?!" "but he's a god, kyouka!"

(13:07) I never said that last part.

(13:08) you said he was handsome. in yaomomo language, that's the same thing

(13:09) Please stop!

(13:09) i'm just glad you're okay again (and i won't pass this opportunity to tease you)

(13:10) i don't know what kind of magic he's working on you to give you this confidence boost, tho. maybe i should ask him

(13:10) and send him a recording of you gushing over him while i'm at it. maybe even a picture of you blushing?!

(13:11) You wouldn't!

(13:11) you trust me too much

(13:11) Kyouka!

(13:11) try me

(13:13) Stop planning things with Ashido!

(13:18) Don't ignore me!

 **/**

(13:15) they have exchanged names

 **(13:18) kyaaa!**

(13:18) what are you, a highschool girl?

 **(13:18) yes, at heart**

 **(13:18) my ship is sailing!**

(13:19) you watch too much anime

 **(13:19) as if you dont ship them too!**

(13:20) they're entertaining, i'll give them that much

 **(13:20) i bet you have already created a folder for blackmail pictures of them!**

 **(13:21) on that note, i have a ship name for them**

(13:21) hit me

 **(13:22) shomo=shouto+momo**

(13:23) hmm… it feels somewhat lacking?

(13:23) what about todoyao?

 **(13:24) thats it, ive got it!**

 **(13:25) TODOMOMO!**

(13:25) sounds good! renaming my folder "todomomo"

(13:25) nice job, kaminari!

 **(13:26) i aim to please ma'am**

 **Fifth period**

(14:59) If a certain Kyouka Jirou sends you a photo or video, please do me a favor and ignore it.

 _(15:03) Is your best friend blackmailing you?_

(15:05) You can never be too careful around her, Todoroki-san. Soon enough, she might start teasing you mercilessly too.

(15:05) She sees nothing wrong with contacting strangers and starting random conversations.

 _(15:06) Is that how she and the DJ got together?_

(15:06) Well, they weren't complete strangers.

(15:07) Do you want to hear the story?

 _(15:07) I'm all ears._

(15:07) In that case, our story starts a few years ago, back in middle school, when I met Kyouka. She used to be shy, believe me or not. She would poke her fingers together when new people talked to her and she was rather quiet.

(15:08) She gradually warmed up to people as she grew out of her shy persona and molded the sarcastic personality she has nowadays. But the biggest factor in her development was her current boyfriend.

(15:08) Ever since she was little, Kyouka was drawn to musical instruments. She can play almost any instrument now, but her favourite remains the guitar, which she totally rocks (pun absolutely intended).

(15:09) However, she saw her talent as more of a hobby than an actual talent, and didn't treasure her skills properly. Until she met the DJ, that is. At the beginning of this year, he was at a concert Kyouka also attended, and they ended up sitting next to each other. His friend yelled at her for no real reason, and the DJ apologised.

(15:10) He didn't stop there however, as they started talking more and kept in touch. And when he found out she could play several instruments? He encouraged her to go to a party he and his friends were organising and play the guitar.

(15:10) I don't know what he did to persuade her, but it worked, and she finally gained confidence in herself and became who she is today.

 _(15:11) That's actually sweet._

 _(15:11) Did she also go to that party to meet him?_

(15:12) She won't admit it in a thousand years but yes, that is my guess.

 _(15:12) Huh. I guess there are many ways people can change._

 _(15:13) In my case, it must have been Midoriya entering my life who changed everything._

 _(15:13) And well, I'll be lying if I said you made no impact on me. I can't really picture a day without texting you now._

(15:14) I'm the same.

(15:14) Ah, I have to go to PE, text you later?

 _(15:15) Sure. Make sure not to be expelled._

(15:15) Duly noted.

 **The Bakusquad**

 **Red Riot:** Do bees have knees?

 **Cellophane:** I'm too sober for this

 **Red Riot:** No but really, think about it. Where does the expression bee's knees come from?

 **Explodo McExplode:** From your spiritual ancestor, shit for brains!

 **Cellophane:** I've just googled it and there is an actual english phrase?! It's registered in cambridge dictionary like holy shit! And it means of very high quality!

 **Red Riot:** But do bees HaVe KneeS?!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Don't underestimate bees fucker, they have a sting in their butt, why wouldn't they have knees?

 **ElectroBolt:** i hate to interrupt such educational debates

 **ElectroBolt:** but gentlemen, we have a request

 **Red Riot:** From who?

 **Cellophane:** Let me guess, is it Midoriya again

 **Cellophane:** ?

 **ElectroBolt:** actually no

 **ElectroBolt:** its from todoroki

 **Explodo McExplode:** What does the fucker want?

 **ElectroBolt:** he asked me to fit a waltz in the music list

 **Red Riot:** What is this about?

 **Cellophane:** If I were to guess, I'd say this is about getting two people hooked up

 **Cellophane:** And we all know the two most likely people to hit it off in the class are Uraraka and Midoriya

 **Cellophane:** That's just my two cents tho

 **Explodo McExplode:** And just WHY should we help the two oblivious dipshits? Let them solve this on their own!

 **ElectroBolt:** actually it was me who received the request and i think imma do it

 **ElectroBolt:** besides you are always annoyed by their mutual pinning so why not just help them?

 **Explodo McExplode:** Just do whatever you want, shitty blondy!

 **Explodo McExplode:** And this may not even be for stupid Deku but for the icy-hot bastard himself.

 **Red Riot:** What do you mean?

 **Explodo McExplode:** The creep was staring at some girl's profile today after practice and blushing.

 **Red Riot:** Wait a second, Todoroki has a girlfriend?

 **Cellophane:** wHAT?!

 **Red Riot:** That's so manly!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Shut your traps!

 **Cellophane:** Jealous much Bakugou?

 **Explodo McExplode:** I'LL BLOW YOUR BRAINS OFF!

 **ElectroBolt:** i think its cute

 **Red Riot:** Right Kaminari is your girlfriend coming to the Christmas Party?

 **ElectroBolt:** i talked to her yesterday and she seemed interested. said she might bring a few friends too

 **Red Riot:** The more the merrier, right?

 **Seventh period**

 **(16:59) phase 1: "get jirou and her friends entering the party approved of by the squad" has been successfully completed**

(17:02) smooth

(17:03) i wish things were that easy on my part

 **(17:04) what happened?**

(17:04) perverts were born is what happened

 **After school**

(18:17) Todoroki-san, do you think I could cash in one of those Eri stories now?

 _(18:34) Sure. Do you have any preference in particular?_

(18:36) Not really. Whatever comes to mind first is fine.

 _(18:38) Eri likes music. And I mean any kind of music. She starts bouncing to the beat and swinging her tail. My sister tried petting her while watching a musical once and Eri *hissed* and then she started dancing._

(18:38) Cats can dance?

 _(18:39) She was moving her hips and her head so I'd call it dancing._

 _(18:39) She especially likes "Everybody Wants to be a Cat" and I don't know if it's because the video has cats or if it's simply a coincidence but she even puts her paws on the screen when I'm watching The Aristocats._

(18:40) Oh my God!

(18:40) Your cat likes Disney movies!

 _(18:40) People often say pets resemble their owners._

(18:41) And you're not even worried?

 _(18:41) Why would I be? She has great taste, The Aristocats is a jewel._

(18:42) I have to admit, I love the wisdom of that movie. "Ladies don't start fights but they can finish them."

 _(18:42) And people say dogs are man's friend, ignoring the intelligence of the felines._

(18:43) I'm with you on this one, Cat Lover.

 _(18:43) Just when I thought I was finally Todoroki, I get a new nickname._

(18:44) Thank you for your patronage. Our services are open 24/7, please come by again for a new nickname!

 _(18:45) I will take you up on that offer in about two hours, but right now my break is over and Mirio's glaring at me._

(18:45) Good luck!

 _(18:45) Thanks!_

 **/**

 _(18:42) Is she feeling better now?_

(18:42) i won't even ask how you know but yes, she's smiling, which is a great improvement from her worried face

 _(18:43) I don't know if it's my place to ask what happened but…_

(18:43) you can ask, but i'm not the right person

 _(18:44) Got it._

(18:44) she'll tell you eventually. she's just trying to do everything by herself

 _(18:45) She doesn't have to. We're here._

(18:46) you're winning points in my book, mystery boy.

 _(18:46) Do I get a golden badge now?_

(18:47) hmm… we'll see about that

 **Thursday evening**

 _(21:27) And I'm back, somehow still alive._

(21:34) Hard day at practice?

 _(21:34) All Might is really into this upcoming practice match and he made us do drills and dives besides our usual training._

 _(21:35) How was your day?_

(21:35) That sounds rough, but I hope you're at least enjoying it.

(21:35) It was fine, I guess.

 _(21:36) You don't sound too confident. Did anything happen?_

(21:38) It's nothing… I shouldn't probably pay attention to it anyway.

 _(21:38) I don't want to push for details._

 _(21:39) But if you ever need to talk to anyone, I'll be here to listen._

(21:39) Thank you. That means a lot.

(21:40) And just for the record, this goes both ways.

 _(21:41) I know._

 _(21:42) I'm glad I met you, Yaoyorozu. No matter how crazy our friendship is._

(21:42) I'm glad too.

(21:42) You should probably resign for the night... Good night, Todoroki-san, and thanks again! For everything.

 _(21:44) Anytime. Night, Yaoyorozu._

* * *

 **AN:** Hi guys!

Your response to chapter 4 has been crazy with the reveal, and as one of my friends put it, I was here cackling as you reacted at Todo's reveal lol. (Imagine a Maleficent laughter, because I was very much pleased to read the reviews!)  
As you saw this chapter, drama is in full swing on Momo's side... more about that next chapter:) I'm curious to hear your thoughts on it though! I enjoy talking with each and every one of you, and you have no idea how much it means to me that you're enjoying this little fic!  
Also, I'm always curious as to your ideas. The Bakusquad is the craziest and funniest thing to write, and it's usually inspired from my discussions with my best friend (we actually had the bee's knees one and we laughed so. hard.) So if you have any requests/ideas for that, I'm all ears!  
Thank you for sticking with me and till next time, lovely human beings!


	6. Chapter 6

AN: In which Momo's problems are finally discussed and Todoroki is a good friend. Also in which it's implied that he might be more than that. (Really though, the title tells you all you need to know)

Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shouto  
Underlined is Jirou  
Underlined italics is Iida

* * *

 **6\. Drama and Phone Calls (I'm totally spoiling here)**

* * *

 **Friday, 10th December**

 **Friday morning**

 _(05:34) Jirou will hate me but Eri just woke me up because I forgot to set my alarm. She somehow knew I had to be up and started poking my cheek with her paw._

 _(05:35) I just thought you may want your daily dose of Eri cuteness._

(05:48) That's so precious!

(05:48) Awwww!

(05:49) I also want a cat to wake me up instead of my rock alarm (I don't know when Kyouka sneaked into my phone and made my default alarm "Highway to Hell").

 _(06:14) I can send you a recording of Eri and you could make that your alarm?_

(06:19) Yes!

(06:19) This is absolutely perfect!

 _(06:22) Purrfect*_

(06:23) You didn't!

 _(06:23) I had to._

(06:25) I've been laughing for two minutes, I don't think that's normal.

 _(06:26) Are you tired?_

(06:26) A bit…

 _(06:28) Yaoyorozu. Did you sleep properly?_

(06:28) I went to bed before midnight but I had a restless sleep.

 _(06:28) When you say "restless sleep", how many hours of shut eye does it mean?_

(06:29) I'll make it through today and then I can take a nap after classes, so don't worry.

 _(06:29) You're avoiding the question._

 _(06:35) If you're still worried, you can talk about it, okay? If not with me, at least with Jirou._

(07:04) I know. Thank you.

 **First period**

 _(08:12) Update on the Uraraka/Midoriya front (me and Iida have named it operation IzuOcha): the DJ has agreed to put in a waltz. Bakugou was *not* happy about it at practice. He at least had the decency not to say anything with Midoriya there, but he still informed me that he hopes "we die by drowning in a pool of rainbow barf" whatever that means._

 _(08:17) Yaoyorozu?_

 **/**

(08:22) if you text yaomomo and she doesn't answer it's because we can't find her phone. it's been gone since right after breakfast and she's starting to freak out

 _(08:23) I see._

(08:24) i'll keep you posted

 _(08:24) Thank you._

 **/**

(08:34) I'm breaking up with you.

 **Second period**

 _(08:59) Yaoyorozu doesn't text in class. Please give her back her phone._

(09:03) tch who are you anyway?! her boyfriend or something?

 _(09:05) If Yaoyorozu hasn't told you herself, I don't believe you should be graced with an answer to that question._

(09:06) of course she wouldn't tell me she's cheating on me

 _(09:06) You're contradicting yourself. And besides, I doubt she would pick a boyfriend who steals her phone, but say whatever helps you sleep at night._

(09:07) are you looking down on me?! because lemme tell you that's a big mistake

 _(09:07) Not as big as stealing her phone. I think Jirou will be pissed if she finds out._

(09:07) you even stalked her friends…

 _(09:08) Aren't *you* the stalker here? What are you doing with her phone anyway?_

(09:09) i only took it to take a few photos (also it's disappointing but she doesn't keep any nudes in her phone) and then you messaged

(09:09) figured i'd check it out because she saved you under a funny name

 _(09:10) That is inappropriate to say out loud, please refrain from making such disgusting claims and fantasies regarding her._

 _(09:10) Also, what you're doing is violating her privacy._

(09:11) aren't you sitting on a high horse? what right do you have to talk about her like that anyway? if you're not her boyfriend

 _(09:12) I'd watch out instead of picking fights if I were in your shoes._

 **/**

 _(09:05) Someone is texting me from her phone._

(09:05) what?!

(09:07) Todoroki-san, this is Yaoyorozu. What did they say?

 _(09:07) I think it's a guy? Because he's pretending to be your boyfriend._

(09:08) jirou here

(09:08) yaomomo is very mad right now fyi

(09:08) well actually she's a mix of disgusted and mad and looks like she could puke any second now

 _(09:09) I think this guy's a pervert too._

(09:10) no way.

 _(09:10) ?_

(09:11) MINETA

(09:11) sorry todoroki i have to go, be back later

 _(09:11) Okay… take back Yaoyorozu's phone (and defend her honor in my stead, please)._

(09:34) done and done. it was nasty and it might reach eraserhead's ears

(09:34) grapefucker needs to be expelled

 _(09:35) How is she?_

(09:36) very pale

(09:37) i dunno if she's in texting mood rn

 _(09:37) Don't let her push herself._

(09:39) will do

 **Third period**

(10:12) Todoroki-san, I am very sorry for what happened. I read through the messages and I feel that my apologies won't even begin to cover the inconveniences this commotion has caused.

 _(10:13) It's not your fault, Yaoyorozu. How are you feeling?_

 _(10:13) Be honest._

(10:17) I… don't know. He's been too close for comfort lately, but I never thought he'd take my phone.

(10:17) I guess I am a bit overwhelmed.

 _(10:18) That's understandable. Try taking it easy for the rest of the day. And I know I've said it before, but I'm here._

 _(10:19) Although "here" is pretty far away but Jirou is literally there, so you can rely on us._

(10:22) Thank you. I want to explain all of this to you, you deserve that much, but I just need to clear my head a bit.

 _(10:24) Of course. Whenever you're ready._

 **/**

 _(10:18) Midoriya-kun doesn't want to butt in again, but I'm getting worried too. Is everything okay, Todoroki-kun?_

 _(10:19) I don't know._

 _(10:22) A pervert from her class stole her phone and started texted me. He was under the impression I was her boyfriend, and when he found out I wasn't he asked me what right I had to be defensive._

 _(10:23) Although he was acting as a bastard, stealing Yaoyorozu's phone and everything, I kept thinking that maybe he has a point._

 _(10:24) That you shouldn't be so protective of her?_

 _(10:24) Is this being protective, Iida? I thought you almost tagging along on your brother's date was protective._

 _(10:25) That is called curiosity, Todoroki-kun._

 _(10:27) I see (or rather, feel) you staring at me, ready to drill a hole through my head. Maybe I was being protective, but feelings take many forms._

 _(10:27) Do you care for this woman?_

 _(10:28) If something happened to her again, I'd want to be there and help._

 _(10:28) That's an yes._

 _(10:29) I don't really have many people I can talk to as easily as I can communicate with her. Isn't it natural to want the best for your friends?_

 _(10:29) Clearly._

 _(10:30) Then why did he say I had no right to act like that?_

 _(10:32) I can't believe I'm saying this to the Todoroki-kun who lectured me on "setting my eyes on the man I wanted to be", but this is similar. If you want to protect someone, you have to let them know about it. You have to sort out your feelings and act in the way that can get you where you want to be._

 _(10:33) If something as small as what this stranger said set you off, it is clear you don't stand on safe grounds and need to balance yourself._

 _(10:35) I was just going with the tide, wasn't I?_

 _(10:35) Thank you, Iida._

 _(10:36) Anytime. Now if you'll excuse me, I should really pay attention to Geography._

 **Lunch Break**

 **The Bakusquad**

 **Red Riot:** Bakugou's been fidgeting a LOT. Is he okay?

 **Cellophane:** Maybe he finally broke lol

 **Explodo McExplode:** You fuckers know I'm also in this chat, right?

 **Red Riot:** Sometimes I can still here his voice

 **ElectroBolt:** wrong meme dude

 **Cellophane:** Also typo

 **Red Riot:** Maybe that was intentional

 **Cellophane:** Well was it?

 **Red Riot:** So anyway Bakugou, what's up?

 **Electrobolt:** he dodged T_T

 **Explodo McExplode:** The sky, shit for brains!

 **Red Riot:** You know that's not what I mean bro.

 **Explodo McExplode:** Half and half dude was holding another telephonic conference.

 **ElectroBolt:** aww! youre worried about todoroki!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I'm worried about his tosses, dumbass! We have a practice match in less than a week and he needs to get his act together if we want to have any chance at winning!

 **Cellophane:** I thought you were strong enough to play for the whole team

 **Cellophane:**?

 **Explodo McExplode:** If All Might allowed me I'D SHOW THOSE PANSIES WHO THEY'RE UP AGAINST!

 **Red Riot:** And he's back to his normal self!

 **ElectroBolt:** dont throw a tantrum in the cafeteria were having spaghetti today and i wanna enjoy my lunch

 **Cellophane:** SpagHeTTi?!

 **Cellophane:** Do you know what that means?

 **ElectroBolt:** didnt i just say i wanted a peaceful meal…?

 **Red Riot:** FOOD FIGHT!

 **ElectroBolt:** do you ever look back at your mistakes

 **Explodo McExplode:** Race you to the table losers!

 **ElectroBolt:** sighhhh

 **ElectroBolt:** here we go

 **ElectroBolt:** again

 **/**

 **(13:16) if i dont answer im in detention**

(13:17) if you know you'll get detention don't do it

 **(13:17) peer pressure**

 **/**

(13:07) Can we talk about *the incident* later tonight? I think I'll have detached myself enough by then to be able to talk about it without getting emotionally involved.

 _(13:08) Sure._

 _(13:08) Do you still want to talk now? About something else?_

(13:09) You mentioned interesting developments on the "Izuocha front". May I get more details?

 _(13:09) It would be my pleasure to announce you that we got an OK from the DJ and he wasn't yet killed or injured in any way by Bakugou._

(13:13) That sounds truly impressive.

 _(13:14) Actually I take that back, Bakugou has just launched a spaghetti attack at him and it hit him in his face._

(13:14) They are toying with food?!

(13:15) Somebody needs to stop them! Not only is that disrespectful, it is also a waste of perfectly good food!

(13:15) I feel bad for the cook there… And for the rest of the cafeteria

 _(13:17) Iida just got up to do exactly that.(You two would probably get along great, since you are both responsible class reps. Well, save for sneaking out to go to parties to hook your friend up with the DJ.)_

(13:17) (He also makes exceptions and allows a possibly-pyroman to take over the dance floor in order to get his two friends set up so I think we're on the same boat.)

 _(13:18) Point._

 _(13:19) Oh! Iida has been hit by a spoon of spaghetti and sauce in between his eyebrows! What will he ever do?_

(13:19) Poor Iida! (Why do I imagine you snickering at this?)

 _(13:20) He used one of Bakugou's friends as a shield to prevent another attack! (Because you know me too well.)_

(13:20) Did anyone else step in? (You can be quite mischievous at times, *young Todoroki*.)

 _(13:21) Midoriya is attempting peace with Bakugou, but he called him Kacchan and that earned him a splotch of ketchup on his blazer! (You remembered the All Might impersonation, color me impressed.)_

(13:21) Tell Midoriya that he can get that out by putting it under running water from the backside while the ketchup is still fresh and then letting it soak with liquid detergent for 10 minutes. (Girl with many talents, remember?)

 _(13:22) Uraraka performed a sneak attack on Bakugou! In perfect synchronisation with Midoriya, she has covered Bakugou's eyes while her friend attacked Bakugou with a meatball, punching in a deadly blow to the guts! (How could I forget?)_

(13:23) You would be a great commentator.

 _(13:24) Iida is back in force now that Bakugou's down and swings at Kirishima (Bakugou's best friend(?)- relationship status unclear, can Bakugou even *have* friends?), but he stops Iida with his sturdy muscles!_

 _(13:26) Sero (another member of the self-proclaimed Bakusquad) hits Iida from behind and gets the back of his neck with a meatball! Iida gives up on fighting Kirishima and outsmarts Sero with a quick attack, immobilizing him to the floor!_

(13:26) I feel guilty for having so much fun reading about a food fight.

(13:27) Will you join as well?

(13:34) Huh, I guess you did.

 **Sixth period**

 _(15:43) I have managed to take down Kirishima, though I did have a classmate's help (she acted as the perfect distraction). The battle ended with All Might walking in and tearing us apart before giving us all detention._

 _(15:44) I've just finished mine, and let me tell you that the boys' bathroom is nastier than you'd even imagine._

(16:04) I'm certain I don't need the details.

(16:04) Did the others help you?

 _(16:05) Me, Iida and Midoriya had to clean the men's bathroom, Uraraka and Asui (that's the girl who acted as a decoy) went for the women's. "The Bakusquad" had it worse, because they instigated this fight._

(16:06) Worse than the men's bath?

 _(16:07) The sweaty lockers of the judo club._

(16:07) I shuddered.

 _(16:08) As you should. It reeks in there. I have no idea how they can even breathe in that cramped place._

(16:08) Sounds like an eventful day.

 _(16:10) It was._

 _(16:11) By the way, Midoriya thanks you for the tip on the ketchup stain, it's almost invisible now. And Iida is glad you understand the importance of behaving during lunch._

 _(16:12) They both said they wish to meet you in person because you seem like a genuinely nice girl._

(16:12) It was my pleasure to help! And I'd love to meet them. However, I think I should meet you first.

 _(16:13) I told them the same thing and they said it was obvious we'd meet first._

 _(16:17) Does that mean you aren't opposed to the idea of us meeting face to face?_

(16:17) Of course not. I mean, we have been talking for awhile now, and you even managed to raise my spirits today of all days.

(16:19) If I were to be honest, I'm actually (a bit) excited to meet you.

 _(16:19) The feeling is reciprocated._

 _(16:19) Present Mic is here, but talk to you later?_

(16:21) Sure. After your club?

 _(16:22) Sounds great._

 **Seventh period**

(17:13) Today went from 'awful' to 'awesome' in a few hours!

(17:14) wow, both of the 'aw' words, to what do we owe the change?

(17:14) no don't tell me let me guess

(17:14) damn this is hard

(17:15) does his name start with todo and end with roki?

(17:15) Aren't you funny?

(17:15) well am i wrong?

(17:17) He said he'd like to meet me.

(17:17) that escalated quickly

(17:17) so talking with mineta made him fall head over heels in love with you?

(17:18) Why do I even try talking to you about this seriously?

(17:19) sorry sorry

(17:19) so, what'd he say?

(17:20) Well his friends were saying they'd like to meet me and he said he'd want to meet me first.

(17:20) We didn't dive into more details because he had class, but we're going to talk again after his club is over.

(17:22) why don't you call him?

(17:22) I can't do that so suddenly!

(17:23) sure you can! if you'll meet him isn't it better to know how he sounds? you'll have enough shocks meeting him as it is, you don't also want to find out he has a super sexy voice

(17:23) i'm not joking, you know?

(17:28) I'll… consider it.

(17:29) you want to see if his voice is hot don't ya?

(17:32) Shut up and pay attention to Miss Midnight!

 **After school**

(18:32) I was wondering whether it would be okay to call you once your club is done. There is a lot I want to tell you about and messaging will take a while, so it would probably be impossible to tell you all about Mineta until you go to bed.

(18:34) If you aren't comfortable with that though, please do tell me, I will not feel offended whatsoever.

 **Friday evening**

Momo wasn't prepared for it when her phone rang. She stared at her screen for a few seconds, trying in vain to even her breath out and calm her heartbeat. The math textbook only stared at her, giving her equations but no answers to her fats heartbeat.

 _(20:44) Incoming call: Volleyball Dork Todoroki_

"Hello, Yaoyorozu?"

His voice was all she had expected and more. It was deep for a teenager, but also soothing and it had the uncanny ability of making Momo feel like she could melt from just hearing those two words.

"Yes." The single word came out shaky, so she breathed in again and said, "Is this Todoroki-san?"

Before she could make out his answer, yells on the other end covered his words. Someone screeched, "Yo half and half, we ain't keeping any meat for you! Who're you talking to?!"

"Please excuse me for a moment," he told Momo in what sounded like displeasure and then she faintly heard his voice, as he kept the phone away from his ear. "Midoriya, please keep some beef for me. I need to take this call, but it's impossible with Bakugou here."

"What'd you say, bastard?!" the previous voice clearly belonged to the always-angry Bakugou.

"Take care, Todoroki my boy," another husky voice said, and Momo immediately associated it with All Might. He sounded like a protective father- it made a smile play around her lips.

"I don't promise I'll be able to defend the beef for more than 15 minutes, Todoroki," a boy said, and Momo had a hunch that was Midoriya. He did indeed sounds like a sweet, innocent soul.

"I'll be back," Todoroki announced and then the background noise faded into a silence that made Momo shift uncomfortably in her chair. She was afraid he'd hear her hitched breath and uneasiness in her voice if it was just them.

"Sorry about that," he said again, his voice much closer to her ears now, piercing through the surrounding silence.

If anything, Momo was grateful for the diversion, since it gave her time to adjust herself to this new situation. "It's alright," she assured him and smiled, although he couldn't see it. She may have been nervous, but if this was anything like their usual exchanges, she'd be grinning by the end of the night. Maybe calling him before their eventual meeting was the right choice. "Sorry for the sudden suggestion."

"That's okay." There was silence for a moment, and Momo used it to fidget in her chair yet again, although no position calmed the butterflies in her stomach. "So that's what your voice sounds like," he suddenly said.

Her heart skipped a beat and all she could manage was a squeaked "Sorry?"

"Random fact."

She knew exactly what he meant and answered without delay, "My favourite book is The Name of the Rose. Umberto Eco."

"Do you have these prepared?" Todoroki asked and maybe it was her imagination, but his voice was lighter, as if he was talking with a small smile on his face.

"I know I apologise a lot, so I need to have my game up." This was normal. For them, at least. "What about you?"

"David Copperfield, Dickens. I haven't read the book you mentioned though," he admitted.

"It's been awhile since I read a Dickens novel. I remember being really impressed by David Copperfield as a child, and I often had to hide it under the pillow when the aggression became too much."

"I think that's why I liked it. It doesn't beat around the bush or try making the world more beautiful than it is." There was something mesmerising about the way he talked, as if he was tearing a part of his soul out and laying it bare in front of her. It was addictive, and Momo was sure she could listen to it for hours on end. "What about your choice?"

"It's layered. You can read it as a thriller or historical book, or even as a romance novel, but then it has this underlying message about how dangerous science can be in the wrong hands and that, I think, made me realise chemistry is not just numbers on a page, but substances in the mouths of people. Ah but I'm rambling, I-"

"Don't apologise," he cut her speech short. "Rambles show you're passionate about something and you shouldn't be sorry for that."

Momo felt warmth flood her cheeks and thanked Kyouka innerly for suggesting the call before the meeting. Being a blushing mess in front of him was the last thing she wanted to do. "I really like your outlook on life," she said. "You see what's important without skipping the details, and I find that amazing."

There was a pause before he said, "Thank you," and Momo wondered whether he was just a bit scared about this- _them-_ too. "About today," he said after a while, but his voice died out after the two words were squeezed into the telephonic conversation.

"Yes." She inhaled deeply. She had been postponing telling him about this the whole day, and it was high time to stop running away. Not from him, but from herself.

"You don't have to force yourself. If you're uncomfortable with it that's perfectly understandable-"

"No," Momo said and cleared her throat. "If I can't tell even you about this I'll never be able to be honest with myself, either. So, I have to- to talk about it. Get it out there. Will you listen?"

"Of course."

"Thank you." Another deep breath was what Momo needed to unlock the gates to all her memories and thoughts on the matter- and she hadn't realised there were so many until she let them all out.

"It started with the first day of school, I guess. It's a given that there will be all types of people in your classroom. Some are blessed with the smartest people in school, others with the popular queen, but ours was gifted with the existence of Minoru Mineta, half our heights but triple the pervert thoughts," she said ironically.

"Sounds like a joy," Todoroki confirmed, adopting her tone, and Momo imagined him nodding. The mental image fueled her to go on.

"We didn't even know how much of a _joy_ he was until our first PE class, when he walked into the girls' locker without any remorse. Over time we learnt to lock the door, but he came up with new creative ideas: the window. Drilling a hole in the walls. Hiding under the benches."

"Sounds desperate and disgusting. Even more so than the judo club's lockers." There was a tinge of something Momo labeled as disgust in Todoroki's usually flat voice.

"You aren't wrong about that. But what was worse was that during our races, he would climb on my back so I'd carry him to the finish line, or he'd jump in to be my teammate at any exercises we had."

"Couldn't you push him away?"

"He's very… sticky. And I mean that literally. I think he wears double adhesive tape on his hands or something," Momo explained, ignoring the knot in her guts.

"That's extreme," Todoroki said. "But then he stole your phone today so I shouldn't be surprised, I guess." He sounded equally parts disgusted and concerned, and it eased Momo's storytelling a great deal, knowing he'd listen and be on her side. "Is that why you were upset on Monday?" Todoroki asked as if picking up mood changes through texting was only natural.

"Yeah," she said and couldn't deny she was impressed. "I used to like PE, but now I fear every class," she admitted. She hadn't shared that apprehension with anyone but Kyouka. "Yesterday, however, he went over the top. We had a group project to work on together, and I somehow ended up in the same team as him. We were working on it in the common room and there was plenty of space around the table but he sat down next to me. I figured it would be alright, maybe he genuinely wanted to focus on the assignment, but then he-" she stopped, and mulled over her words. There was no way to put this lightly.

"Yaoyorozu. Did he try to touch you?" She couldn't quite make out what Todoroki was feeling, but it was probably anger.

"Yes. And I-I pushed him away and ran to my room. Kyouka and Ashido were there and they almost went out to punch him but I didn't want to cause a commotion. And then today he stole my phone and that was the last straw." She sighed as the story reached its end and admitted, "Kyouka said she hadn't seen me so angry since someone lost the book I borrowed them in middle school."

"And you had every right to be." Momo heard shuffling on Todoroki's end of the line and then a deep exhale. "I'm pretty angry myself. This boy needs to learn respect or be expelled. So that's why Jirou called him a grapefucker."

"That and the the fact that his hair is shaped like balls." She was genuinely smiling now, her anger dissolved and face softened by a playful simper. It was amazing how much his voice calmed her, more so than her music could. "And thank you. For getting angry on my behalf. And for the comebacks you gave him."

"You read those?" he sounded just a bit sheepish and it made Momo giggle.

"Yes. By the way, this has been bugging me for a while, but why did you have Kyouka's number?"

"Oh." There was silence for a moment, as if he was pondering his answer before he said, "She gave me her number just in case."

Momo decided she didn't need to know why he hesitated and indulged herself in the bliss of ignorance. "I'm glad you had her number, then. It saved me today. Although looking back on it, I should have figured it was him."

"Are you talking about the grapefucker?!" Kyouka asked as she waltzed into their room and shut the door with a loud bang. "Sooner or later I WILL get him expelled!" she declared and threw herself on the lower bunker, bravely jumping head in the quest for finding her guitar under the bed.

"Is that Jirou?" Todoroki asked, mildly amused.

"Yes."

"Greet her for me."

"Todoroki-san says hi," Momo told Jirou, who emerged from under her bed, hair a mess.

"Tell him your soap opera is getting stale and he needs to up his game or I'm wasting popcorn on him," she answered promptly and returned to her serious business.

"She says hi too," Momo said into the speaker.

"I heard her," Todoroki answered and, for the first time in her life, Momo was blessed with the sound of his snicker. She felt the butterflies in her tummy fight against the cage of her stomach, yet at the same time she couldn't suppress a small laugh of her own. "Tell her I'm doing my best," Todoroki added.

Momo tried to ignore her hot cheeks as she delivered the message across the room, but Kyouka didn't bother with an answer, instead yelling, "Found it!" as she settled back on her bed with the guitar in her hands, holding it as a prize. Momo would definitely have to clean what was under her bed one of these days, although she feared what awaited her.

"What did she find?" Todoroki asked, voice light as they fell into their normal pace, conversing as if they were texting.

"Her guitar. Things are going to get loud, so I'll move into the common room," she announced both her roommate and Todoroki.

Kyouka wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, making Momo wave her off and shut down any fantasies her friend had with a roll of her eyes. Still, Kyouka found it was her duty as Momo's best friend to shout, loud enough so Todoroki heard her as well, "Go, be grossly sweet somewhere I can't throw my popcorn at you, you dorks!"

Momo heard shifting on Todoroki's side and wondered if he was uncomfortable, so she replied with, "We just don't want to hear you practicing love songs for your boyfriend," and closed the door, blocking the pillow that Kyouka aimed at the back of her head.

"Are you always bickering?" Todoroki asked as she jumped down the stairs and made her way into the common room.

"Kyouka claims it's the basis of a healthy friendship," Momo shrugged instinctively and nestled on the sofa downstairs. Only Mina and Hagakure were in the room, and they were so engrossed in a movie they were watching that they only acknowledged her presence by raising their hands in greeting. "Don't you and Bakugou argue all the time?"

"He is the one picking fights and I wouldn't call our relationship a friendship," Todoroki said.

"But you must have good teamwork, right?"

"The fact that we somehow manage to synchronise our attacks still surprises me," Todoroki admitted with what Momo imagined to be a shrug of his own.

She stretched her legs in a more comfortable position and held the warm phone against her cheek. She felt lighter, as if he had lifted a burden off her shoulders with his mere voice and presence, and wondered what meeting him in person would feel like. Would it give her wings? "When you called, were you at a restaurant?"

"Yes. All Might thinks it helps us bond if we go to a local restaurant and eat together every Friday. I think it has the opposite effect though, because we always fight over the food." Momo giggled, but she didn't expect such an innocent gesture to make him say, "I really like your laughter."

She choked on her own happiness, finally attracting the attention of the two other girls in the room, who stopped the movie to get her a glass of water. A minute later, she could muster in a raspy voice, "That took me by surprise, Todoroki-san."

"Has no one told you that before?" He seemed genuinely curious, and Momo fought against telling him that wasn't the issue.

"Not that I recall," she admitted.

"That's strange. I really like it. It has a nice ring to it, kinda like Eri's purring."

Momo chuckled again. So that's what he meant. "I remind you of your cat?"

"In a way. Eri's purring and meowing are both very comforting, and your voice has the same effect."

Oh. Another unexpected answer. This time she didn't choke, but she did say, "Your voice is soothing, too." She didn't have it in her to say she liked it- maybe she could text him about it later.

Silence was at home between the two of them, but it didn't feel strange, or awkward like at the beginning of the call. It felt like the silence Momo read about in books, the type of absence of words but presence of feelings that was hard to explain unless you experienced it for yourself. She never had that with Kyouka- they were all jokes and laughter and back and fro banter, but she didn't find the change unpleasant at all.

However, silence also allowed new ideas to bloom in Momo's mind and she suddenly broke through it after catching a glimpse of the watch. "My Todoroki-san, it's been twenty minutes! Will you still find meat when you return?"

Her alarmed voice wasn't an act, but Todoroki still snickered on the other end. "I'll be fine, I asked Midoriya to keep some for me. Thanks for your concern, though." She relaxed again, and brought her knees to her chest. "And even if I don't find any food-" Todoroki continued "-I don't regret talking to you in the least."

Momo felt her cheeks heat up again and wondered if they ever had their normal temperature during this call. "Thank you for calling, Todoroki-san. And for listening."

"I don't mind. I'd actually like to do it again, if you're up to it." He sounded genuine, and his words made Momo's face break into a grin.

"Me too. It was fun."

"And Yaoyorozu?" Her name rolled off his tongue naturally, and Momo found herself smiling even wider at the sound of it. She hummed in response. "If that jerk approaches you again, you have every right to push him away and ask for help. And you can call anytime. I mean it."

Momo squeezed her knees tightly, feeling her heart thump in her chest. "Mhm. I'll take you up on that offer."

"Yeah." She imagined Todoroki smile- he might have had an inexpressive face in photos, but for some reason, she could picture his lips peeling into a coy smile quite easily. "I think I have to go back, but talk to you soon?"

"Yeah. Text me when you get home?"

"Will do. Have a nice evening, Yaoyorozu."

"And you fight for your meat, Todoroki-san."

The beeping sound replaced Todoroki's warm voice. Momo squeezed her phone in her hands and watched the screen blink _Call ended. Duration: 24:07 minutes._

She remained like that, arms wrapped tightly around her knees and ignoring the sideway glances Hagakure and Ashido gave her, losing track of time.

There was only one thing she knew for sure: Kyouka would make fun of her that night, because there was no way she could erase the grin on her face.

 **/**

 _(21:56) I'm home._

(21:58) Looks like you won't be going to bed early tonight.

 _(22:01) That's okay, I don't have practice tomorrow._

 _(22:01) I will be going shopping for Uraraka's present on Sunday though, so can I count on you for a female point of view?_

(22:01) Of course.

(22:02) Talk to you tomorrow, then?

 _(22:02) Yeah. Night, Yaoyorozu._

(22:02) Good night, Todoroki-san.

 **/**

(23:45) would you stop rolling around in your bed?! i can't sleep

(23:45) like i get that you have a crush on wonderboy but some of us need their beauty sleep

(23:47) I don't have a crush on him, Kyouka.

(23:47) yeah whatever. just go to sleep already, i don't even have the energy to tease you rn

* * *

AN: Hello again!

This chapter is hella long, but it was fun to write! Hope you enjoyed this too! Finally a phone call, huh? Can we call this a relationship upgrade? Also yes, I know I finally launched into full descriptive text, and I will from now on whenever they talk on the phone or any important moment will take place, but save for those exceptions, I'll still go full texting mode. So don't fret, more Bakusquad is on its way, as is more Kamijirou.  
Hopefully you have enjoyed this chapter! Sorry for the rant and, as always, your comments and love give me life in this stressful period! Hoping you have a nice week and, you know, Happy Halloween, guys!


	7. Chapter 7

AN: In which Momo decorates the dorm, The Bakusquad attracts Jirou's wrath and Todoroki gets involved in a plan he could have never anticipated.

Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shouto  
Underlined is Jirou  
Underlined bold is **Kaminari**  
Bold is **Midoriya**

* * *

 **7\. Christmas Decorations and Clean-ups (Time for the Plot Twist)**

* * *

 **Saturday, 11th December**

 **Saturday morning**

(09:34) Do you know what's great about weekends?

 _(09:46) Loads of homework?_

(09:49) …

 _(09:49) I'm sorry, please do enlighten me._

(09:50) We get to decorate our rooms!

 _(09:50) Oh. Getting into the Christmas spirit?_

(09:50) Well it *is* the 11th of December. And Christmas is lovely!

 _(09:51) My sister loves it too, maybe a bit too much actually._

 _(09:51) She tried making me wear a reindeer nose yesterday._

(09:51) I'll take a wild guess and say her attempt was met with failure.

 _(09:52) Incredible mind reading skills._

 _(09:52) She was so disappointed, saying my hair is Christmas aesthetic and I'm wasting it._

(09:52) It *is*. Red and white are the colours we chose this year, actually.

(09:53) What happened to the reindeer nose, though?

 _(09:53) She made her boyfriend wear it in the end. He wasn't exactly thrilled when she took a thousand pictures of him._

(09:53) Oh God.

(09:54) Kyouka hit me with globe and asked me to tell you to let me focus on decorations.

 _(09:54) Are you the coordinator or something?_

(09:55) Apparently.

(09:55) Oh heavens! What have they done?!

 _(09:56) Did they destroy the tree?_

(09:56) The effect this… *atrocity* has is the same!

(09:58) I walked into the living room and was met with this horrendous sight:

(09:58) [Image sent]

 _(09:58) That's… a creative way of decorating the tree?_

(09:59) Those are *empty* candy wrappers! And they don't respect the design I drew for them! And the lights are caught between the branches and the color scheme is a mess!

(10:01) I'm sorry Todoroki-san, my eyes hurt, I need to save Christmas!

 _(10:01) Good luck._

 **/**

(12:03) discovery of the day: yaomomo can be scary

 **(12:05) did you send a picture of her to todoroki or something?**

(12:05) nah

(12:06) but now that you mention it, i should. she looks very proud if herself rn

(12:09) okay done

(12:10) but she was scary because we "almost ruined christmas"

 **(12:11) YOU WHAT?!**

(12:11) chillax, she was exaggerating

(12:11) we were just having fun but apparently "fun isn't aesthetic"

 **(12:12) is yaomomo a perfectionist?**

(12:12) that's an understatement

(12:14) to her credit tho, the room looks amazing

(12:14) [Image sent]

 **(12:18) WOW!**

 **(12:18) this looks like out of a magazine!**

(12:18) you should feel the smell in this place

(12:19) sato made cookies and they're so good!

(12:19) [Image sent]

 **(12:20) do you wanna make me cry?!**

(12:20) i'll try saving you some for the christmas party

 **(12:21) jirou you are an angel!**

 **(12:21) i dont say this enough!**

(12:22) shut up, pikachu

 **(12:22) did i make you blush?!**

(12:23) dont flatter yourself

 **(12:23) totally did**

 **(12:25) jirou**

 **(12:27) youre embarrassed**

 **(12:27) thats cute**

(12:28) why is my boyfriend so sappy?

 **(12:28) i dont know you tell me**

(12:29) nevermind

 **/**

(12:06) [Image sent]

 _(12:06) This somehow doesn't look like blackmail material to me._

(12:06) it's not

(12:07) it's mostly bragging about our amazing christmas decorations and overly excited designer

 _(12:07) She does seem happy._

(12:07) consider yourself blessed with her cute bouncy face

 _(12:08) Take care of her, that jerk may wipe the smile off again._

(12:08) will do, wonderboy

 _(12:08) Wonderboy?_

(12:09) you dorks are clueless

 **/**

 **The Bakusquad**

 **ElectroBolt:** guys

 **ElectroBolt:** jirou just texted me

 **Cellophane:** Are you rubbing the fact that you have a gf in our faces?! Really?! *_*

 **ElectroBolt:** no dude

 **ElectroBolt:** she just reminded me that we havent done anything christmasy yet!

 **Red Rio:** Christmasy?

 **ElectroBolt:** yeah man! like watching christmas movies together and decorating the house and stuff!

 **Cellophane:** Wow

 **Cellophane:** You're actually right

 **ElectroBolt:** why are you so surprised…?

 **Red Riot:** Huh. I guess since we had exams all the way up until last week we forgot all about Christmas traditions?

 **Cellophane:** And this is how highschool is killing the young generation

 **ElectroBolt:** so whaddya say?

 **ElectroBolt:** movie marathon? at my place?

 **ElectroBolt:** i have hot chocolate ;)

 **Cellophane:** Hell yeah!

 **Red Riot:** Where's Bakugou?

 **Cellophane:** He's probably being a Grinch somewhere

 **Explodo McExplode:** WHO'S BEING A GRINCH?!

 **Red Riot:** Man Bakugou, your timing is always on spot!

 **ElectroBolt:** you coming blasty?

 **Explodo McExplode:** Watching Christmas movies is so cringy.

 **Cellophane:** Fine then, no popcorn for you

 **Explodo McExplode:** I didn't say I wasn't coming!

 **Cellophane:** You're such a tsundere

 **ElectroBolt:** maybe he really IS grinch

 **Cellophane:** You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch

 **ElectroBolt:** you reallyyy are a heeeel

 **Cellophane** : You're as cuddly as a cactus

 **ElectroBolt:** youre as charming as an eel mr grinch

 **Explodo McExplode:** I'LL KICK YOU BOTH OUT!

 **Cellophane:** You're a bad banana with a greasy black peel~

 **ElectroBolt:** youre a monster mr grinch

 **Cellophane:** Your heart's an empty hole

 **ElectroBolt:** your brain is full of spiders youve got garlic in your soul mr grinch!

 **Cellophane:** I wouldn't touch you with a~ thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole~!

 **Red Riot:** Guys, Bakugou is still online

 **ElectroBolt:** youre a foul one mr grinch

 **Red Riot:** I think he's reaching the ends of his patience

 **Cellophane:** You have termites in your smile

 **ElectroBolt:** you have all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile mr grinch!

 **Cellophane:** Given a choice between the two of you, I'd take

 **ElectroBolt:** THE SEASICK CROCODILE!

 **Cellophane:** The seasick crocodile~~

 **Explodo McExplode kicked ElectroBolt and Cellophane out of "The Bakusquad"**

 **Red Riot:** I told them…

 **Explodo McExplode:** Fuckers had it coming!

 **Red Riot:** Do you really not want to watch Christmas movies with them?

 **Explodo McExplode:** I want to blow their heads off, that's what I wanna do!

 **Red Riot:** Oh come on Bakugou, they were just having fun!

 **Red Riot:** I'm sure they didn't mean no harm.

 **Explodo McExplode:** They PISSED ME OFF!

 **Explodo McExplode:** And besides, what's so great about Christmas movies?

 **Red Riot:** Have you ever watched Home Alone?

 **Explodo McExplode:** Uhm, no?

 **Red Riot:** Man you *have* to! It's your type of humor!

 **Red Riot:** It's about this kid who outsmarts a couple of thieves and makes their lives hell.

 **Explodo McExplode:** How's THAT a Christmas movie?

 **Red Riot:** Watch it and you'll find out ;)

 **Red Riot:** And you know Kaminari's basement is heaven for watching movies! There's no better choice than to watch it there!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I hate it when you're rational, shitty idiot!

 **Explodo McExplode added Kaminari Denki and Sero Hanta**

 **Kaminari Denki set his nickname to "ElectroBolt"**

 **Sero Hanta set his nickname to "Cellophane"**

 **ElectroBolt:** that was mean bakugou

 **Cellophane:** I'm hurt

 **ElectroBolt:** why can you even kick us out?

 **Red Riot:** Because he is the admin

 **Red Riot:** He created our group remember?

 **ElectroBolt:** thats right! because he loves us!

 **Explodo McExplode:** You wish, dipshit!

 **Cellophane:** You looooooveeee us!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Do you want me to kick your sorry ass into the next galaxy?!

 **Red Riot:** Guys, can't we just watch movies together?

 **ElectroBolt:** right. my house in 30?

 **Cellophane:** Sounds good

 **Cellophane:** Is Sparky Sparky Boom Man coming?

 **Explodo McExplode:** ONLY TO BEAT YOU INTO OBLIVION!

 **ElectroBolt:** okay ill get the spicy nachos ready

 **Explodo McExplode:** If you forget the salsa you'll watch the movies from outside!

 **ElectroBolt:** duly noted

 **Saturday Noon**

 **(14:23) have i ever told you how much of a christmas jewel home alone is?**

(14:25) i think you missed that and now i'm wondering how our relationship still works

 **(14:25) blasphemy! no relationship can work without a home alone rant!**

(14:25) lemme guess, you've watched that with the guys?

 **(14:26) of COURSE we did! theres no christmas without home alone!**

(14:26) who snorted first: sero or kirishima?

 **(14:26) lo and behold**

 **(14:26) BAKUGOU**

(14:27) you're lying!

 **(14:27) cross my heart and hope to die**

 **(14:27) he dropped the popcorn when the passports got wet**

 **(14:27) and i think buzz is his spirit animal**

(14:28) i should've seen that coming

(14:28) is it his first time watching home alone?

 **(14:28) yes!**

 **(14:28) and in 5 minutes itll be his first time watching home alone 2**

(14:29) sounds like you guys are having a blast

 **(14:29) if thats the definition for destroying my kitchen than yeah sure**

 **(14:30) what are you up to?**

(14:30) well we've just finished decorating our room

(14:30) and i'm waiting for my turn to shower after yaomomo

(14:31) will probably do my homework like a boring student after that

 **(14:33) okay jirou i really wanna talk more about that and how you need to get out more but i think kirishima just broke my microwave**

 **(14:33) gtg ttyl**

(14:34) sure, let me rot in my boredom why you have fun crashing things

(14:34) boyfriend goals as usual

 **/**

(15:03) Would you consider me an "ethalon of boredom"?

 _(15:05) Should I ask why you're questioning this or just answer?_

 _(15:05) Because the answer is a clear no (social labels) and the reason is probably Kyouka._

(15:06) Thank you and yes.

 _(15:06) What brought such claims upon you?_

(15:07) The fact that her DJ and his friends are watching Home Alone like "normal people" whereas I suggested doing our homework.

 _(15:07) Blasphemy!_

 _(15:08) If the requirements for being boring are so low, I've beaten you to it a long time ago._

(15:08) Thank you (again).

(15:08) So, what are you up to? Besides joining me in being boring.

 _(15;08) Hiding from the evil intentions of my sister._

(15:09) I thought you guys got along?

 _(15:09) We do. When she isn't trying to practice braiding and using me as her lab rat. My hair isn't even long enough for that!_

(15:10) Kyouka thinks I've finally gone round the bend because I was laughing when she came out of the shower.

(15:10) Your sister actually does that?

 _(15:11) Yeah. One of the girls in her group asked Fuyumi-nee to braid her hair and of course my sister figured "how hard could it be?" Harder than she thought apparently, because the end result was a mess._

 _(15:11) Oh damn! Her boyfriend just came over and I already pity him._

(15:11) My prayers are with you, victimes of the Clumsy Braider.

 _(15:12) My prayers are with Iida-san because he's too nice to deny Fuyumi-nee anything within his capacity._

(15:12) Uhm, Iida-san?

 _(15:12) I never told you, did I? My sister's dating Iida's older brother._

(15:12) Is that simply a coincidence or did you two have a masterplan for them, as well?

 _(15:13) You think too highly of our cupid skills. This time, it really was a coincidence. Fuyumi-nee started dating him before I entered high school and met Iida._

(15:13) Huh. That's weird and awesome at the same time, I guess?

 _(15:13) Kind of. Especially since both me and Iida think it's only a matter of time before our siblings get married so we will be related…_

 _(15:14) I don't know how I feel about that._

(15:14) He's one of your best friends, isn't he?

 _(15:14) Yes, but I'd have to live with his strict rules and he'd have to live with my silence. I don't know if our friendship is strong enough for this._

 _(15:15) Also, I think I'm cursed._

(15:15) Excuse me?

 _(15:15) People that get involved with me get their arms broken._

 _(15:15) Midoriya did, and Iida did once, as well. I think it's my fault, and I couldn't live with damaging his other arm, too._

 _(15:17) Yaoyorozu?_

(15:18) I'm sorry, I just had to wipe my tears.

(15:18) There's no way you're cursed, Todoroki-san. I haven't broken any arms, you see?

 _(15:18) But you haven't *met* me yet._

 _(15:18) Do you even want to meet the hand-crusher?_

(15:19) Don't be silly! And yes, I do want to meet you.

(15:19) Huh. We're here again, aren't we?

 _(15:19) Maybe we should… talk about it?_

(15:19) As in… set a meeting date?

 _(15:19) Maybe._

 _(15:21) Is it too awkward?_

(15:21) No, that's not it. I'm just…

 _(15:21) Against it?_

(15:21) No!

(15:21) I think reluctant is the word.

 _(15:22) Can I ask why?_

(15:24) I may not be what you expected. I don't really talk as fluently as I text, so I may stutter and just generally be a mess.

 _(15:24) Yaoyorozu, I should make it clear that I don't have some requirements for talking to you. Or rather, the only requirement is that I enjoy myself, which I do. You really ought to give yourself more credit._

(15:25) Kyouka always says the same thing. I'm sorry.

 _(15:25) Random fact please?_

(15:25) I sometimes end up mumbling if I'm really nervous.

 _(15:26) Just like Midoriya. The only difference being that he mumbles all the time._

(15:27) Well that boosted my self-esteem.

 _(15:29) Yaoyorozu, I'm really sorry but I have to save Iida-san before Fuyumi-nee makes him wear the Santa outfit._

 _(15:29) Talk to you later?_

(15:30) Sure! Go be his hero!

 **/**

 **(17:47) im NEVER organising movie nights with these guys again!**

(17:48) it wasn't an actual movie *night*

 **(17:48) not impressed, jirou**

(17:48) fine, let me act as the model girlfriend i am

(17:48) *clears throat, adopts sweet voice* what happened, sweety? *bats eyelashes concerned*

 **(17:49) thanks for the act**

 **(17:49) but unless your eyelashes can patch up the microwave and broken glass on the floor i dont really need them**

(17:49) are your sure your friends aren't animals in disguise or something?

 **(17:50) at this point the only thing im sure off is that my folks will kill me**

 **(17:50) its okay though**

 **(17:50) ive lived a fulfilling life, had you as my gf and everything**

(17:51) they won't kill you, kaminari!

 **(17:51) my only regret is that i havent seen you dressed as mrs santa**

(17:51) nice try but not happening

(17:52) i can, however, come over and help you clean before your folks come

 **(17:53) YOU ARE A BLESSING TO HUMANKIND!**

 **(17:53) ILL BE FOREVER INDEBTED TO YOU!**

(17:54) i'll keep that in mind when i need a favour from you next time

(17:54) be there in 20

 **(17:55) ill wait for you at the station**

 **/**

 **The Bakusquad**

 **ElectroBolt:** this is jirou, pikachu's girlfriend and the one who cleaned up part of your mess

 **ElectroBolt:** i'm simply here to tell you that you're sooo roasted when i finally get to meet you all

 **RedRiot:** I'm starting to regret my life choices.

 **ElectroBolt:** good

 **Cellophane:** Scary

 **ElectroBolt:** better

 **ElectroBolt:** and where's bakugou?

 **Cellophane:** Luckily for him, not online

 **ElectroBolt:** then i'll just leave this here

 **ElectroBolt:** Explodo McExplode i don't care how macho/scary/amazing you think you are, you can't just break stuff and not pick them up after you. you aren't a kindergarten brat

 **RedRiot:** Oh man!

 **ElectroBolt:** that's all i had to say

 **ElectroBolt:** i'll give the phone back to kaminari now, but i hope the message has been clear

 **Cellophane:** As day, ma'am!

 **ElectroBolt:** at ease, soldier!

 **RedRiot:** That was so manly!

 **RedRiot:** I have to meet your girlfriend, Kaminari!

 **ElectroBolt:** im afraid to see her and bakugou clash now

 **Cellophane:** My money are on your gf, dude

 **ElectroBolt:** well i guess well see at the christmas party

 **RedRiot:** Awesome!

 **Saturday Evening**

 _(19:03) I deserve a medal for being alive._

(19:05) That bad?

 _(19:05) We literally *rocked* around the Christmas tree while listening to Rockin Around the Christmas Tree._

(19:05) Great musical choice.

 _(19:06) Please don't empathise with the villain here!_

(19:06) A villain that shares the Christmas spirit? *shudder*

 _(19:06) She made Iida-san wear a Santa outfit after all. And then she wrapped me in Christmas lights as a bonus._

 _(19:07) If mistletoe magically appears in our apartment, I'll evacuate Iida-san._

(19:07) Aw! But I think it's cute.

 _(19:07) Also very cringy. So much so I'd dare call it torture for any outsider._

 _(19:07) I *will* move out when they tie the knot, even if that means I'll live on the streets._

(19:08) You could move in with Iida-kun.

 _(19:08) That's a different sort of torture._

(19:08) By the way, this has been on my mind for a while now, but is Iida just a name coincidence or is this family related to the athlete who brought Japan two Gold medals at the Olympic Games?

 _(19:09) Would you have a heart attack if I told you Iida-san is the athlete in question?_

(19:09) Your friends are so diverse and unpredictable that I'm prepared for anything at this point.

(19:09) Even so, that's quite… waw. How did your sister even meet him?

(19:11) If that's not too personal or anything, of course.

 _(19:12) Well you probably know Iida-san had an accident last year, which left him paralysed. Fate had it that he was treated in the hospital my sister visited weekly, for reasons I won't expand on (I'm sorry, it's just uncomfortable talking about it.). That's how their meeting took place, and also how they kept in touch until Iida-san was discharged. After that, he asked her out on a date. It went smoothly and they started going out, and that's pretty much it._

(19:12) Wow. Unfortunate events can lead to something good after all.

(19:12) And the story is really cute.

(19:13) What is Iida-san doing now that he can't compete anymore, if I may ask?

 _(19:13) He's working on ways of preventing what happened to him from happening to others by learning more about anatomy and doing a sports medicine course._

(19:13) That's amazing. I mean, he didn't let that bring him down and is doing something extremely useful.

(19:14) Is Iida-kun planning to do the same thing? Or will he follow in his brother's footsteps?

 _(19:15) He wanted to do the latter, up until his brother was injured. He went through a period of insecurity then, although Iida-san assured him it was fine to pursue sports, but I guess Iida wants to be himself without losing track of the man he once admired and aimed to be._

(19:16) You and your friends are inspiring, you know that?

(19:17) I've wondered what I wanted to do… for a long time now. My family owns a cosmetics company, you see. My parents never pressured me into succeeding them or anything, but everyone sort of assumes I will. And it's not that I wouldn't like it, but I still haven't figured out what I'm fit for.

(19:17) I just don't want to half-ass anything.

 _(19:18) The simple fact that you're willing to do your best is a good start, I think._

 _(19:18) Not that I truly know what I'll do later in my career, either._

(19:18) We still have time to decide, right?

 _(19:19) Lucky us._

(19:19) Sorry, Kyouka's calling. Is it alright if we talk later?

 _(19:20) Sure._

 **/**

(21:13) I'm back.

(21:13) Maybe I deserve a medal too- never knew I could clean a kitchen in the span of 34 minutes.

 _(21:16) Did you spill something?_

(21:16) That would have been an ideal case.

(21:16) Kyouka called me over to her DJ's house to help them clean this mess his friends caused. Let me tell you, it was terrible!

 _(21:17) More of a catastrophe than the Christmas Tree?_

(21:17) Yes, if you can imagine!

(21:18) Oh and something interesting happened while I was there. The DJ mentioned something about a certain Bakugou. Maybe it's just a name coincidence though, because when I asked about you, he said the name didn't ring a bell.

 _(21:18) Huh. What's the DJ's name?_

(21:19) If I'm not mistaken, it's Kaminari. Does it sound familiar?

 _(21:26) No. Maybe he's in a parallel class?_

(21:28) Such a small world, isn't it?

 _(21:28) Indeed._

 _(21:28) I should get ready for bed. Talk to you tomorrow?_

(21:29) Sure. Good night, Todoroki-san!

 _(21:29) Night, Yaoyorozu._

 **/**

 _(21:18) You owe me an explanation._

(21:18) all i have to say in my defense is that pikachu is an idiot

 _(21:18) So it really is Kaminari._

 _(21:19) Why didn't you mention that until now?_

(21:19) what, was i supposed to go "hey stranger, my bf is your classmate but that's okay, i'm not a stalker or anything"?

 _(21:19) A mere "Kaminari is going to lie about knowing Bakugou" would have helped._

 _(21:19) Why did he say that?_

(21:20) look, yaomomo is easily scared. you saw what mineta did to her and how she reacted. she… wasn't herself yesterday, not until she talked to you, anyway

(21:20) if she suddenly found out that kaminari knew you, she'd freak out

 _(21:20) You give her less credit than she deserves. She's strong, and you know that._

 _(21:21) Be honest, you are amused by this._

(21:21) that's part of the reason

 _(21:21) And the other part?_

(21:21) i have this all planned out

 _(21:22) What do you mean?_

(21:22) i can arrange for you two to meet

 _(21:22) You know we can arrange that for ourselves, right?_

(21:22) not at the highly acclaimed ua christmas party, aka the one event dedicated to christmas that yaomomo has been dying to attend for years ;)

 _(21:23) You do know we don't allow students from other schools, right?_

(21:23) i've got my ways, wonderboy

(21:23) so, are you in?

 _(21:23) I feel like we're betraying Yaoyorozu's trust._

(21:24) the end justifies the means

(21:24) and i can assure you she'll love it

(21:24) so what do you say?

 _(21:27) Alright._

(21:27) yey!

 _(21:27) But._

 _(21:27) If I feel this is even a little bit fishy, I'm telling Yaoyorozu immediately._

(21:28) sure, killjoy

 _(21:28) Killjoy I may be, but I should go to sleep now. Can you give me the details tomorrow?_

(21:28) sure, ttyl

 **/**

 **(21:13) Are we still up to shopping tomorrow?**

 **(21:23) Todoroki?**

 _(21:23) Yes._

 **(21:23) What question did you answer?**

 _(21:23) Both._

 **(21:24) Are you alright? You seem a bit… tense.**

 _(21:25) Yaoyorozu's friend is dating Kaminari._

 **(21:25) Wow.**

 _(21:25) I know._

 **(21:26) Uhm, does this change anything though?**

 **(21:26) I mean, she's much closer than you thought, yes, but you're still talking to her, aren't you?**

 _(21:26) Of course._

 _(21:27) It's just that her friend is saying she has this plan to sneak them into our Christmas Party._

 **(21:27) Well, you want to meet her, right?**

 _(21:27) We have been talking about it…_

 **(21:27) Look, no one is forcing you, Todoroki. And I'm sure her friend won't be forcing her, either. Just do what you *feel* is right and stop over analyzing this.**

 _(21:29) You're right._

 _(21:29) I want to meet her, so I'm in whatever this crazy plan Jirou has._

 _(21:30) Thank you. I promise we'll find the best present for Uraraka tomorrow._

 **(21:30) Then we're even.**

 **(21:30) I'll see you tomorrow at the DiverCity Plaza?**

 _(21:32) In front of the Subway?_

 **(21:32) Sure. I'll let Iida know, too. See you tomorrow!**

 _(21:32) See you._

* * *

 _AN:_ Hello again!

I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. Thank you guys for all this love, it's honestly overwhelming! I even got fanart?! There's a d&e tag on tumblr?! Can I melt please? If you ever want to talk to me about D&E, other works of mine, Todomomo or any other couple or just gush about your day, you can find me over on tumblr at ionica01. Thank you for all the love and I hope you have enjoyed this chapter.  
Love you all and till next time (as soon as possible because I've been itching to publish chapter 8 for a while now!)


	8. Chapter 8

**AN** : In which Momo realises her heart isn't prepared and Shouto has a change of heart about the Chrstmas presents.

I deliver this chapter to you with high hopes you'll enjoy it (feel free to yell at me in the reviews!) Either way, here we go:  
Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shouto  
Bold is **Midoriya**

* * *

 **8\. Shopping and Meetings (An Unexpected Development Occurs)**

* * *

 **Sunday, 12th December**

 **Sunday Morning**

Momo found herself in that underpopulated category of people who didn't check their phones as soon as their eyes could focus on a screen without yelling at the luminosity as if they had just seen Satan. She was the type that got out of bed, jogged, took a shower and brushed her teeth, got dressed up for the day and only _then_ checked her phone.

Or at least she used to be.

As soon as her alarm woke her up- it was still Kyouka's rock song choice, she really should have insisted on Todoroki sending her Eri's purring recording- she checked her phone for unread messages and tried not to deflate like a loose balloon when she found none. She willed herself to get up, swang her feet over the side of her top bunker and slowly climbed down the stairs to go about her usual routine.

It was Sunday, she reasoned with herself while tying up her hair in the mirror. He had every right to sleep in longer- and even if he was up, why would he immediately text her? She shook her head at the thought, causing a few rebel strands of hair to leave her ponytail, but chose to ignore them and brush her teeth instead.

It was Sunday, her mind echoed and the gears finally moved, at the same time that Momo's lips curled into a clumsy smile around the toothbrush. It was finally time for Kyouka to pay her pack by buying her a new pair of socks- and she was going to take full advantage of the occasion and cash in the panda socks she'd been eyeing for a while now. She hoped they felt as fluffy as they looked.

A quick shower worked wonders on Momo's mental state and she walked back into the room with a kick to her step. Too bad Kyouka wasn't a morning person: she was missing out on the energy pumping through her veins, on the crisp air that came through the window and the productivity that came with being a morning bird.

Instead of enjoying the beauty of mornings, however, Kyouka made a disgruntled noise muffled by her pillow and turned away from the rays filtered by the window, sinking deeper into the mattress. Momo held in a sigh and nudged her friend gently- the mall would get awfully crowded until noon, and she wanted to make the most out of it while she could. Not that Kyouka seemed to care about practicality- she just stirred, but made no attempt at waking up.

Experience had taught Momo that the only thing that could wake up such a sleepy Kyouka was a merciless act of treason. She knew it violated their friendship contract, article 38 to be exact, but it could be forgiven as a gest done out of desperation- desperation not to get trampled in the shopping centre, of course. And just a tiny bit of satisfaction, Momo admitted as she pulled the covers off Kyouka and started the tickle war.

Kyouka jolted up like a lightning bolt and kicked. Momo dodged fast enough not to have her face permanently damaged, but not fast enough to avoid sacrificing her shoulder.

Her roommate eyed her with ire and a strong desire to shoot lasers with her eyes- Momo thanked heavens she wasn't blessed with that quirk, otherwise she would have been dead by now.

"What the actual hell?" Kyouka said, articulating each word with a precision few sleepyheads possessed.

Momo shrugged, "Desperate times ask for desperate measures." Kyouka stared at her blankly. "Shopping, remember?"

Ten seconds of summoning demonic powers and shooting them at Momo with her piercing eyes later, Kyouka declared, "You are such a pain in the butt," and got up reluctantly.

Momo 17- Kyouka 14.

 **/**

Shouto wasn't big on the whole "let's get into the Christmas spirit by buying gifts" trend. He firmly believed that the best present to give were heartfelt words and time spent with those who mattered.

That may have been a good explanation for why his sister gasped when she saw what he was researching. "Are you _actually_ going shopping?"

Shouto didn't raise his eyes from his laptop- he didn't need to in order to imagine Fuyumi-nee's bewildered look and slightly worried face. "Yes. Midoriya asked me to help," he added before his sister could check for a fever.

Fuyumi-nee's silence made him raise a curious eye over the screen of his laptop, only to see her praying (how fake the gesture was, Shouto couldn't tell) and decided it was best not to comment on it. Fuyumi did it in his stead anyway, "Tell Midoriya-kun he has my thanks for getting you out of the house and into the Christmas spirit!"

Shouto just rolled his eyes at the gleeful tone of his sister. It wasn't that he disliked it- it just felt like she was making too big of a deal out of his habits. He wasn't a loner- he just hated pretending that he cared for a tradition he found stupid and bothersome. Presents were meant to be given to someone not for an occasion, but to display affection- something he wasn't known for.

Fuyumi-nee pulled out the chair next to his and sat down, cushioning her cheek on the back of her hand. Shouto had expected her to spout Christmas nonsense- how he should buy fluffy things or red mufflers to go with mittens. Instead, she kept a flat tone and asked, "Isn't there anyone _you_ want to buy a gift for?"

Under normal circumstances, Shouto's answer would have been a sharp "No" without any room for comments. However, this wasn't normal- because the reminder that Yaoyorozu loved Christmas flashed through his mind, and he hummed an indefinite response. He had barely known her for a week- he couldn't just buy her a present out of the blue. Even though the cute panda socks he stumbled across in the online offer seemed to be her style.

His sister just chuckled and patted him on the back before springing right up. "Well then, have fun!"

 **/**

 _(10:34) I really don't like going shopping._

(10:46) Have you just been reminded of that fact now?

 _(10:48) Yes, and I regret my choices. I should have offered to buy Midoriya lunch or something._

(10:49) Oh come on, it's not that bad!

(10:51) Besides, they have decorated the mall quite nicely. Better than last year.

 _(10:51) Are you out shopping as well?_

(10:52) Yes. Kyouka still has to pay me back for the socks, remember?

 _(10:52) Right. Well then, good luck!_

(10:53) You too. Text me if you need help.

 _(10:53) Will do. Thanks._

 **Sunday Noon**

With Christmas just around the corner, all shops seemed to compete for "who can get more decorations to fit into 20 square metres and put on sappier music". Not just that, but they also added something to give off a "Christmasy-vibe" as his sister put it on almost every item- or at least, that's what Shouto discovered as he stared at the mufflers, trying to pick one that didn't have reindeer _or_ Santas for Uraraka. It was a tough battle.

A few steps away from him, he could hear Midoriya going through another existential crisis, and Iida wasn't dealing with his mumbling too well. "I thought you had already chosen the bracelet for Uraraka-kun," he tried, stiff hand gestures enough to convey how overwhelmed he was by his friend's hopeless crush.

"But that's just a bracelet! I want to get her something practical too, like clothes, but that's too personal so maybe I should go for mufflers or gloves, but these are all fingerless and not her type and she doesn't even wear gloves because she says they feel weird on her calloused fingers-"

"Then how about socks?" Shouto interrupted, Iida's tormented face enough of a catalyst to make him step in. "You can't go wrong with socks, right? They're fluffy and she'd like them."

Shouto didn't think his blurting out his ideas would actually help, but Midoriya's face immediately lit up and Iida's awkwardness was replaced by gratefulness. He gave Shouto a small, encouraging smile and Midoriya sprinted towards the socks, Iida and Shouto in toe.

"Shouldn't you also buy something for Yaoyorozu-kun?" his friend asked nonchalantly, but Shouto's blood froze the second her name was brought into discussion.

"Why?" he asked stiffly.

"Well, you're going to meet at at the Christmas Party, and you've known her for a while, so wouldn't a present be the obvious gesture?"

For once, Iida's logic failed. "I don't want to come off as creepy instead," Shouto said. Ever since Fuyumi-nee had mentioned the present, the idea had been floating around his mind, finding no particular place to anchor itself to. "What about you?" he asked instead. "Shouldn't you get something for Hatsume?"

"Hatsume-kun?" Iida's hand gestures betrayed the nervousness hidden in his flat voice.

Midoriya, who didn't seem to pay attention until then, spoke up, "She always times you when you practice, and she even designed better trainers for you. She deserves a reward, doesn't she?" His smile was hidden by the pairs of socks he was holding up to inspect, but Shouto had no doubt it was there, innocent and yet knowing.

Iida opened his mouth to say something- and maybe he even did, but Shouto wasn't paying attention anymore. He was texting Yaoyorozu about which scarf to get, eyes drifting unintentionally towards the aisle next to them when something caught his attention.

Unplanned but unmistakable, right in front of Shouto's eyes, a spiky, dark ponytail popped over the shelves. It couldn't be- but it looked just like in the photos.

He took uncertain steps towards the girl. The closer he got, the more his theory was confirmed- her posture, her soothing voice as she talked to her friend, the friend in question, who wore jackcords earrings.

Shouto's steps got faster, and he dared breathe out, "Yaoyorozu?"

 **/**

"Yaoyorozu?"

The voice startled Momo out of her socks choosing process- an excruciatingly slow experience for Kyouka, but she had it coming for ruining Momo's entire lineup of white socks. She whirled around, heart drumming in her chest. She knew that voice, although distorted by the telephone, but its gravity was hard to miss. The red and white hair was even harder to mistake.

"Todoroki-san?"

What was he doing there? Was it really him? But how- oh God he was even more handsome than in the photos- that wasn't the biggest issue there, she reminded herself. At a loss for words, she tried sorting through the questions and reactions in her head, though only one proved to be coherent enough to take the shape of words: fate had a great sense of humor.

"An unexpected meeting with wonderboy," Kyouka mused somewhere close to Momo, as if it was a bad title for a soap opera, but her voice seemed so far away.

At least the words gave Momo enough time to take Todoroki in. His shoulders were broad, forcing the sweater he was wearing to press against his skin, muscles not entirely visible but their presence not unnoticed, either. His hair fell onto the bridge of his nose, revealing mismatched eyes, so captivating to watch that Momo found herself lost in them.

It was only when two other guys- one wearing glasses and one with green hair and freckles- joined them that she tore her eyes from his.

"No way, are you Yaoyorozu-san?" the freckled boy asked- Midoriya, Momo thought. He was holding a small bag, in which she guessed Uraraka's present resided.

Momo nodded. "And you must be Midoriya-san and Iida-san," she bowed politely. "It's nice to meet you." Great, she could act normal in front of strangers she knew only from Todoroki's stories, but not in front of the wrong number guy she had conversed with so much over the last week. She was off to an amazing start, Momo thought bitterly.

She didn't even get to think of a topic, an ice breaker, or any sort of small talk she could engage in when Kyouka said, "Well then, this meeting has been a blast but some of us have shopping to do, so we'll be on our way. You two have fun," and with that, she pulled the other two guys with her and left a confused Momo behind.

Things were going too fast today. Momo was still looking after Kyouka's silhouette when Todoroki took the initiative of breaking the tense silence, "So, did you replenish your socks stock?"

"I was just about to-" Momo suddenly stopped, and her brow furrowed as she came to a realisation. "Kyouka left before she could pay! I can't believe her!"

She didn't expect her disappointment with her friend to win a chuckle out of Shouto. It didn't sound like mockery though- it was genuine and warm, and it made Momo's nervousness melt, morphing into something akin to the easy feeling one gets when one hangs out with a longtime friend.

"I was looking for a gift for Uraraka too," Shouto said, fixing her with a complice gaze. "Could I maybe get your input? After your socks are cared for, of course."

Momo found herself smiling naturally. "Sure. I'd love to help."

 **/**

Half an hour later, a pink muffler was nicely wrapped in a gift bag hanging from Shouto's left hand as he followed Yaoyorozu into the bookshop. His phone lit up with a message from Jirou: this wasn't part of the plan. For once, he believed her.

"Sorry for dragging you here," Yaoyorozu smiled apologetically.

"Random fact?" Shouto felt at ease now. It was like their texts came to life, and now he knew he wouldn't be able to read her messages without her voice etched into his mind, healing and stringing words together in the most beautiful symphony Shouto had ever heard.

Her nervousness dissolved into a genuine beam. "I might as well tell you why we're here," she said as she strolled through the bookcases with practice ease, her movements so sure that Shouto wondered how often she visited the bookshop. "There it is!" She pointed towards the English Literature corner. "Our English teacher mentioned The Great Gatsby, and it got me curious."

Yaoyorozu tracked the titles with her index finger as she spoke, half immersed in the task, letting the words pour out of her in droplets. Shouto searched on the shelf next to hers and his finger stopped on a spine, surprised at how thin the novel was. "I think I found it."

Yaoyorozu's eyes lit up when she laid them upon the book. "Thank you!'' She took the the book in her hands, browsing through it. "I've been wanting to read this for a time now, but exams kept me busy." She seemed to be her usual self now that she was talking about a subject that made her comfortable, and Shouto loosed a sigh- the last thing he wanted was to have her tense up in his presence.

He allowed her to page through the book, watching her bite her lower lip to keep her excited smile from widening. She was a sight to behold from up close- the ponytail drew the hair away from her face, endorsing Shouto to observe her soft features. Her high cheeks brought out the sparkling onyx of her eyes, a usually dull color that she managed to make mysterious, like her eyes could reveal the secrets to the world.

But more impressive was the way in which Yaoyorozu held herself, with an elegance Shouto hadn't seen anyone but his mother possess. The perfect grammar and punctuation in her messages suddenly made sense to Shouto, and he indulged himself a small smile. Seeing her so passionate about books made him think that she was indeed a dork- in the best sense of the word.

Shouto found it improper to stare at her for too long, no matter how hard it was to unglue his eyes from her delighted face. He looked around the shop to keep from the temptation of analysing the fine lines that painted her face, and his eyes stopped on a promotion. From all the books they had on sale, one in particular attracted his attention.

" _The Name of the Rose_?" Yaoyorozu asked. He didn't notice her follow him, but she looked surprised that he had remembered.

"Yeah. Ever since you mentioned it, I got curious." He turned it over to the fourth cover to read the summary. "A crime, huh? Guess you were right about it being a thriller." His brow furrowed. "Wasn't Umberto Eco a critic though?"

Yaoyorozu smiled, holding up an essays book by the same author. "He was, but his friends got fed up with the way he constantly nitpicked on other novels, so they challenged him to write the 'perfect' book. He wrote _The Name of the Rose_ as a result of this bet."

"That's ambitious." Shouto weighed the book in his hands. "I guess I'll find out whether he won or lost the bet soon enough," he thought out loud.

"Do you plan on reading the book?" Yaoyorozu blinked, taken aback by his decision.

"Yes." He didn't know why she looked so surprised- she had seen Tangled on his recommandation, and she _got_ it. If he could maybe discover a part of her by reading the book, he was willing to go to bed a bit later. Shouto had a hunch Yaoyorozu was just as layered as she praised her favourite book to be.

His hunch was confirmed when a dust of rose coated her cheeks, and she muttered a "Thank you". Shouto really couldn't get certain aspects of her, and that made Yaoyorozu that much more intriguing.

 **Sunday Afternoon**

"And that's a wrap," Kyouka sighed as she settled at a table with her unexpected companions and dug into her crispy nuggets. Midoriya and Iida still seemed bewildered by the situation and by Kyouka's calm, but she wasn't going to let their incredulous staring get in her way to achieving happiness- materialised in the form of a KFC menu.

"I still can't believe they met and that you had nothing to do with it," Midoriya admitted.

Kyouka held out a finger to correct him. "Ruining Yaomomo's socks is my merit, don't rob me of my glory."

Midoriya smiled shyly and Iida pushed his glasses onto the bridge of his nose. "Since they haven't contacted us, I reckon it's going well on their side."

"You two worry more than mother hens," Kyouka rolled her eyes. "What's the worst that could happen? She likes his dorky side and he was charmed enough by her rants to divulge his name."

"You have a point," Midoriya finally accepted and dug into his own pizza slice.

"I always do. Now we just kick our legs onto the table and get the popcorn ready for the show. I have some good ideas for the Christmas Party," she singsonged, ignoring the worried look that the two boys exchanged.

She was just glad her Momo was finally learning to fly.

 **/**

"Do you want to grab something to eat?" Todoroki asked as they walked out of a clothes shop with new bags in their hands. Since their friends weren't there, Momo had suggested buying Christmas presents for them- it was practical, she argued, but she also wanted an excuse to spend more time with Todoroki.

It proved to be a good decision, as she found out more about Midoriya and his unbelievable passion for pro volleyball players, as well as Iida and how organised he was. Kyouka often accused her of the same organising mania, but Todoroki assured her she wasn't obsessive- he was good at putting her at ease like that, and after hanging out with him for only an hour, Momo felt like he had known him for a lifetime, and stopped worrying about whatever impression she made. She was having fun.

"I'd like that," Momo agreed easily, following him towards the food court.

"Good, because I'm starving," Todoroki confessed and she giggled. He gave her a hurt look and defensively said, "Shopping is more exhausting than volleyball training."

"I won't try to contradict you," she said, but didn't wipe the smile. He didn't try to force it off her face either.

If up until noon the mall was busy, one could barely see someone in the rush now. People washed past them in an almost robotic rhythm, and Momo found herself caught in the wave of people heading for the stairs. She could barely hear the sound of Jingle Bells over the sound of hushed talking and rushed footsteps, and soon enough, she realised she didn't see Todoroki anywhere.

Out of nowhere, a warm hand grabbed hers and she looked up to mismatched eyes staring into hers. "We'll get separated otherwise," Todoroki explained, and while his logic was impeccable, Momo found herself fighting with the loud thrumming of her heart.

His hand wrapped around hers tightly, warmth and security lingering on his fingertips, and she slowly grew used to the feeling of fitting into her palm into his. As he slowed down to match her pace, she tried to control her blushing face, to assure herself this wasn't a special gesture.

Even so, she lingered a moment longer when they reached their destination, and only let go of his hand to pick up her tray. Momo didn't understand the disappointment she felt as she sat down across from him and felt her fist furl around cold air.

Todoroki spoke around a mouthful of pork, "We really do have the most unexpected meetings, don't we?"

Momo chuckled. "I guess so. First a wrong number and now a chance encounter at the mall- what's next?"

Todoroki shook his head in amusement. Their relationship was a series of unexpected events indeed, but the surprise element was part of what made this so exciting. His messages kept Momo on her toes like the outcome of a chemistry experiment did- she knew they would come, but had no idea in what form.

"Maybe it's better than it would have been if we had planned it." Momo couldn't agree more- planning would have set expectations. After a pause, Todoroki seemed to ask something that had been weighing on his mind for a while now. "Do you remember what you said about being reluctant to meet?"

Momo nodded, a knot tying into her guts. "You shouldn't have worried," Todoroki said honestly, and she felt the knot untangle faster than it had appeared. "You- you're above anything I could have ever imagined."

All the blood in her mind flooded her cheeks and she only managed to say, "You too, Todoroki-san," before her phone rang. As soon as she picked it up, Kyouka's chirpy voice came out of the speaker.

"Sorry to cut your rendez-vous short, Yaomomo, but unless you want to never again see wonderboy we should leave stat, or Aizawa-sensei _will_ put us under house arrest."

Momo felt the hair on the back of her neck rise. "What time is it?"

"Time to run towards the metro like crazy," Kyouka said before she hung up.

Momo looked at Todoroki apologetically, but he seemed to already get the bulk of it. "I had a great time," she said as she got up and bowed.

"Me too," he mirrored her gesture. Momo was already halfway out of the food court when Todoroki yelled after her, "Yaoyorozu!" She spinned around, eyebrows arched in a question mark. "Message me when you get home."

A wide smile bloomed on her lips. "Will do," she said and launched into a sprint for her liberty.

 **/**

 **(17:48) Todoroki, where are you?**

 _(17:52) Paying for a pair of panda socks at Bershka._

 **(17:52) Seems like you had a good time.**

 **(17:52) Me and Iida will be there in 5.**

 **/**

(18:46) We're in safely.

(18:46) We weren't even scolded because we somehow caught the metro on time and made it back before 7pm.

 _(18:58) I'm glad._

 _(18:59) I apologise for any delays I may have, but I started reading_ The Name of the Rose.

 _(18:59) It starts out in the bulk of the action._

(18:59) Ah, you've already started! I hope you'll enjoy it.

(19:00) And yes, it does, but that's nothing compared to what's to come. I won't spoil your fun though.

(19:17) Have fun reading!

(19:17) And I had a blast today, Todoroki-san.

 _(20:34) Me too, Yaoyorozu._

* * *

 _AN:_ Hello again!

I hope I managed to take you by surprise with this chapter~ I've been planning it to a while, and finally writing it was SO satisfying! I'll go back to texts next chapter, but I certainly hope this was also enjoyable to read:) Also, Kyouka was my spirit animal this chapter (she always is with her shipping tbh)  
You may be wondering where this will go now that they've met, but I assure you, you won't be bored by these dorks. And this may have been quite sudden, but it's just like Momo said: fate (I) has a great sense of humor, and coincidences is what their entire relationship is based on (haha yeah I'm a cheesy writer I know)!  
Anyway, enough of my rantings. I hope you have a nice day, and till next time, dear readers~


	9. Chapter 9

**AN:** In which Shouto reads The Name of the Rose, which prompts the Bakusquad to come up with theories. Meanwhile, an unlikely trio is working to get two dorks to meet.

Normal is Momo  
Italics it Shouto  
Underlined is Jirou  
Underlined bold is **Kaminari**  
Bold is **Midoriya**  
Underlined italics is Iida  
Bold Italics is _**Ashido**_  
***Bold*** is *****Bakugou*****

* * *

 **9\. Books and Bands (I Have a Thing for Alliterations)**

* * *

 **Monday, 13th December**

 **Monday Morning**

(07:34) yo ashido

 _ **(07:35) jirou i sit literally across from you*-***_

(07:35) i know, but this is about yaomomo

 _ **(07:37) oh does this have anything to do with why shes so bouncy this morning;)?**_

(07:38) it does

(07:38) i see your eyes sparkling, but you won't get the details now

 _ **(07:38) whyyyy nooooot T_T?**_

(07:39) because yaomomo is right next to us

(07:39) and it's a long story

 _ **(07:40) then why did you want to talk in the first place?**_

(07:41) heh

(07:41) you can breakdance, right?

 _ **(07:43) yeah…-_-?**_

(07:43) cool. we need your help

 _ **(07:44) we?**_

 _ **(07:44) i dont think i like that smirk jirou but im crazy so im in!**_

(07:45) perfect!

 **/**

 **(07:23) ***Oi shithead*****

 **(07:25) Good morning to you too, Kacchan.**

 **(07:25) ***How the fuck is this a good morning?!*****

 **(07:25) ***And just WHY is the icyhot bastard reading a damned novel?! IN THE LOCKERS?!*****

 **(07:26) Todoroki enjoys reading, I don't see what's wrong with that.**

 **(07:26) Weren't you reading The Catcher in the Rye just last week in Present Mic's class?**

 **(07:27) ***Get off my back, fucker!*****

 **(07:27) ***And it's different! I was bored and The Catcher in the Rye was All Might's recommandation*****

 **(07:28) ***But THAT'S NOT THE POINT!*****

 **(07:28) ***Since when is Half and Half interested in Italian literature?!*****

 **(07:29) Maybe he just wanted a change.**

 **(07:30) ***Whatever. It's fishy.*****

 **First Period**

 **(08:23) I hate to admit it, but Kacchan may be right.**

 _(08:27) What do you mean, Midoriya-kun?_

 **(08:28) It's a free period. Todoroki would usually be doing his homework or studying for the rest of the week. But now he's reading- and it's not for school.**

 _(08:32) Are you implying that the meeting with Yaoyorozu-kun had a deeper impact on him than we might have anticipated?_

 **(08:33) You don't think so?**

 _(08:33) You might be right. There's no doubt that Yaoyorozu-kun is an important presence in his life._

 _(08:35) I was actually considering what Jirou-kun suggested._

 **(08:36) About persuading All Might to let us form a band with people from outside UA?**

 _(08:39) Yes._

 **(08:39) Look Iida, I don't want to pressure you into accepting. You are the class representative, and you should do as your conscience dictates.**

 **(08:40) Even so, I must also follow my own instincts and tell you that I'd accept Jirou's proposal. She didn't strike me as ill-intentioned.**

 _(08:40) Midoriya-kun, you must understand that Todoroki-kun has done much for me, and I doubt I'll ever fully repay him for that. I have nothing but his best interests at heart._

 _(08:40) As such, I find myself agreeing with you. He's been more laid back recently, and I feel like Yaoyorozu-kun is a responsible young lady who could make him happy._

 **(08:41) Iida…**

 _(08:41) Midoriya-kun?! Why are you crying?!_

 **(08:42) You're such a good friend!**

 _(08:42) What is that supposed to mean…?_

 **(08:43) Then I'll talk to Jirou!**

 _(08:43) Actually, could you let me talk to her?_

 _(08:45) It's the least I could do, both as class representative and Todoroki-kun's friend._

 **(08:45) Sure! Tell me how it goes.**

 _(08:46) Will do._

 **/**

 _(08:49) Hello, Jirou-kun. This is Iida Tenya. We met the other day at the mall._

(08:56) yeah, i remember

(08:56) must admit tho, this is a surprise. i expected midoriya to be the one to contact me

 _(08:57) I wanted to know more about your plan._

(08:57) figures

(08:58) what do you want to know?

 _(08:58) You said you were planning to form a band with students from both UA and Shiketsu High, which would grant you official access to the party, right?_

(08:59) yes, and that we'd need your teacher's approval for that

 _(08:59) Can Yaoyorozu-kun play any instrument?_

(08:59) piano, and she's great at it. her parents made her take lessons since she was six

 _(09:00) You mentioned Kaminari-kun also being involved?_

(09:00) yeah, he plays the guitar

(09:00) the band is pretty much assembled, and we've played gigs together before

(09:01) not with yaomomo, granted, but she adapts easily. i've played with her before, and she's amazing

 _(09:02) I see. So you need the entrance for how many people?_

(09:02) four. me, yaoyorozu, tokoyami (he got you the big-ass tree) and another girl you don't know, ashido. she's our breakdancer

 _(09:03) You even have a breakdancer?_

(09:03) we don't joke around

(09:03) besides, we need her. if i were to tell yaomomo about the christmas party, she'd know i meddled somehow. but if ashido tells her?

 _(09:04) I see your point._

 _(09:06) Well then, Midoriya and I will handle this on our side. I'll let you know once we get a (positive) answer._

(09:06) great! i knew you were trustworthy, glasses-kun!

 **/**

 _(09:04) Did she see that bastard today?_

(09:05) i'll pretend you're so concerned you forgot to wish me a good morning and pretend to care about how my day was

(09:05) and if you're talking about mineta she ignored him like a pro

 _(09:05) I'm glad to hear that. Tell me if he makes her life a living hell. I wouldn't mind taking the subway to punch him._

(09:06) and you can't even be expelled because i'll conveniently make sure there are no cameras around

 _(09:06) I knew I could count on you, Jirou._

(09:07) thanks for caring wonderboy

(09:07) but really, she's still high on your meeting so she can't be bothered to care about grapefucker

 _(09:07) That's good, I think?_

(09:08) oh wng, if only you knew

 **/**

(09:07) the (unexpected) part 2 of the plan: get your class rep and his best friend to persuade the teacher is complete

 **(09:09) well done jirou!**

 **(09:10) man this is even better than me and the guys begging him for a favour in exchange for not getting in trouble for one month!**

(09:10) which would have been impossible for you, anyway

 **(09:11) your words deeply wound me**

(09:11) oh and can you ask kirishima if he wants to breakdance? he'll know what it means

 **(09:11) uhm, sure? but wont you tell me what exactly this is about?**

(09:11) now we only need to set up a practice schedule

 **(09;12) aaaand you ignored me**

(09:12) which will be a challenge because a *certain someone* messed up

 **(09:12) im sorryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy**

(09:13) *sigh* that's a very persuasive apology

(09:13) oh well, we just have to make sure bakugou and yaomomo don't meet

(09:13) we can practice with them separately or something

 **(09:14) if i get bakugou to sync with me and yaomomo to sync with you and we sync with each other it should work**

(09:15) yeah…

 **(09:15) jirou?**

(09:16) i'm a bit nervous. i know the first objective of this operation is the todomomo meeting, but i don't want to halfass the concert

(09:16) it's not every day i play at ua, you know?

 **(09:17) you wont mess it up. *we* wont mess up**

 **(09:17) were all in this together**

(09:18) that was a cringe reference

 **(09:18) high school musical woke up my love for music okay?!**

(09:19) thanks pikachu

 **(09:20) anytime**

 **Third Period**

 _(10:02) Okay, so I reached the disparition of Berengar and I think I'm starting to understand what you were saying about The Name of the Rose being a layered book. It's both a thriller and a historical look into religion and it touches some pretty intense themes._

 _(10:03) I mean, I never would have expected a book about monks to talk about homosexuality and the theological implications of laughter._

(10:06) You caught that!

(10:06) The book does indeed follow several themes, but the most interesting one hasn't been touched upon just yet.

 _(10:07) Now you're just hyping me up._

(10:07) Perhaps?

(10:08) I'm curious, but who do you think is the killer? I mean, you certainly don't believe that's all a coincidence, do you?

 _(10:08) Providence is only that generous in what concerns us._

 _(10:08) As for the killer, I have absolutely no idea. My doubts lie with the abbot himself, but that would be a cheap plot twist, and Eco doesn't strike me as that sort of author._

(10:09) I won't spoil you then, but I think you'll quite enjoy how it all wraps up.

 _(10:09) I already like it. I don't remember the last time I was so invested in a book. Thank you._

(10:09) I didn't do anything.

 _(10:10) You're the one who mentioned it and made me curious._

 _(10:11) I have more arguments, but I need to change for PE class. Talk to you later?_

(10:11) Sure.

 **Lunch Break**

 **The Bakusquad**

 **Explodo McExplode:** Isn't Todoroki acting all like a fidgety fucker today?

 **Cellophane:** O.M.G.

 **Cellophane:** Did Baku just

 **ElectroBolt:** call him todoroki?!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I'm serious you shitheads!

 **ElectroBolt:** so are we!

 **Red Riot:** What makes you say that Bakugou?

 **Explodo McExplode:** Well he's been reading all day.

 **Red Riot:** Maybe he likes it

 **Cellophane:** Kirishima you shouldn't use words the King of Explosion Murders doesn't know

 **ElectroBolt:** maybe we should explain it

 **ElectroBolt:** basically to like something is a human emotion that fills you with a fuzzy warmth

 **Cellophane:** Guys guys guys

 **Cellophane:** You shouldn't define an unknown word with other unknown words!

 **ElectroBolt:** an illogical response characteristic to mortals

 **Cellophane:** Very good my student

 **Red Riot:** Do you guys want to be kicked out again?

 **Explodo McExplode:** You can say whatever you want, but Todoroki's acting weird.

 **Red Riot:** Maybe it's a girl!

 **Cellophane:** Kirishima, bro. Bro. We're talking about Todoroki here

 **Red Riot:** So what? He's a man, too!

 **ElectroBolt:** kirishima may have a point

 **Cellophane:** You too, Kaminari?!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I don't care whether he's bewitched or not as long as he can still play volleyball at the match against Shiketsu.

 **Red Riot:** But I'd like to meet the girl who can charm Todoroki! She must be so manly!

 **ElectroBolt:** dude?

 **Cellophane:** Why are you all going on about girls?! Maybe there just wasn't any soba left at the supermarket so he's drowning his sorrows in a book!

 **Red Riot:** Who does that Sero?

 **Cellophane:** TODOROKI WOULD!

 **Cellophane:** DO YOU WANT TO FIGHT ME?!

 **ElectroBolt:** ooooon another note (no offense bro but who gets that hung up over soba?!) after you trashed my basement

 **ElectroBolt:** and broke my microwave

 **ElectroBolt:** and left everything in shreds

 **Cellophane:** And your gf gave us hell for it

 **Red Riot:** I really want to meet her btw

 **ElectroBolt:** you will pretty soon

 **ElectroBolt:** anyway after all that

 **ElectroBolt:** i finally got to work on the cpp

 **Explodo McExplode:** I thought we agreed on changing that shitty name.

 **Cellophane:** Don't let it all out on the CPP Baku

 **Res Riot:** So how is it going Kaminari?

 **ElectroBolt:** well

 **ElectroBolt:** with my awesome amazeballs absolutely mindblowing skills

 **ElectroBolt:** i got the lights done

 **Cellophane:** A round of applause for our man KAMINARI!

 **Red Riot:** *applause*

 **Explodo McExplode:** What do they look like?

 **ElectroBolt:** theyre like those garden lights with lemon shaped bulbs because thats what we have in the city centre

 **ElectroBolt:** and while i managed to nail the yellowish colour i also have a small surprise for uraraka

 **Red Riot:** And that is?

 **Cellophane:** *drumroll*

 **ElectroBolt:** thanks sero

 **ElectroBolt:** PINK LIGHTS!

 **Red Riot:** She's going to love them! Good job Kaminari!

 **Explodo McExplode:** This better get us the stage for an hour!

 **ElectroBolt:** about that

 **ElectroBolt:** its time to pick up your drums again sparky sparky boom man

 **Explodo McExplode:** … does your crazy chick have anything to do with it?

 **ElectroBolt:** her name is jirou and shed rock your butt anytime

 **Red Riot:** That's so manly, Kaminari!

 **Cellophane:** Guys?

 **Cellophane:** What's with the sudden silence?

 **Red Riot:** I think they switched to private.

 **/**

 _(13:43) You shouldn't be reading while you're eating, Todoroki-kun._

 _(13:43) Iida? Why are *you* texting during lunch?_

 _(13:44) You weren' t responding when I called your name, but I had a vague feeling you would if I texted you. Your senses haven become really keen on picking up the vibrations of your phone, haven't they?_

 _(13:46) What did you want to tell me?_

 _(13:46) Just what I said. Why are you reading during mealtime?_

 _(13:46) I was dejected because they were out of cold soba._

 _(13:47) ... Is that the sole reason?_

 _(13:49) You've been staring at your screen for two minutes now. You don't have to force yourself to answer if I was being too nosy._

 _(13:49) That's not it._

 _(13:49) I want to *get* it, Iida. And I think I'm starting to._

 _(13:50) The book?_

 _(13:50) The book, Yaoyorozu, this whole friendship (?) we have going on._

 _(13:50) Why the question mark? I thought you were friends?_

 _(13:50) We are but…_

 _(13:51) I met her yesterday, and for whatever reason, it didn't feel like when I'm with you or Midoriya. Nor was it like when I'm with Fuyumi-nee._

 _(13:51) It was pleasant, no doubt about it, and if it were after me, I'd want to see her tomorrow again._

 _(13:51) I think that's the problem. I want to see her right now, too._

 _(13:52) So the book is the best substitute?_

 _(13:52) I guess._

 _(13:52) And I also think it holds a bit of her, in that it sees things for what they are. The Name of the Rose. Do you know what it means?_

 _(13:54) I think Mister Toshinori told us something about nominalism when he taught us Shakespeare. "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" was it?_

 _(13:54) Yes. It means we attribute names to things just because we need to refer to them, but names don't define us. In Shakespeare's case, it was talking about the feud between the two families._

 _(13:55) Eco argued it's nothing deep like that. He said he wanted a neutral name for his book, and that he came up with around 10 names and his friends voted._

 _(13:55) But the last line is "the rose of old remains only in its name; we possess naked names." (It's not truly a spoiler, it was written on the fourth cover so I read the last passage anyway)_

 _(13:57) I know I haven't finished the book, but I think it's not only about the beauty of the past, but also about discovering who you are underneath your name. Adso of Melk, the main character, is on a journey to get to know himself better, and I think that's what this is all about. Trying to figure out where you are before thinking about where you're going._

 _(13:59) Wow. That's really deep,Todoroki-kun._

 _(13:59) It may sound weird because I've barely known her for a week, but I think this is so *her*. Trying to figure herself out while discovering the world around her. Maybe that's what chemistry is all about._

 _(14:00) I see._

 **/**

 _(14:00) Let's look for Toshinori-sensei as soon as lunch is over._

 **(14:03) You sure seem eager all of a sudden, but I won't object.**

 **Fifth Period**

 **(14:15) after much persuading and some unworthy of a beautiful girl like yourselfs ears words, grumpy is in**

 **(14:15) hes actually quite pumped but you know he wont admit *that***

(14:17) i can't believe i'm saying this, but good job, kaminari

(14:17) also that was a hella of a long phrase and i am so proud rn

(14:17) now we need for iida and midoriya to persuade your teacher

(14:17) and then i'll get ashido to talk to yaomomo

 **(14:18) yuuss**

 **(14:18) and since we have our drummer**

 **(14:18) think we can do fairytale of new york?**

 **(14:19) you know ive been dying to sing that with you jirou!**

(14:19) *sighhh* it's going to be a cringey duet

 **(14:19) but its our song!**

(14:21) fineeeeee

 **(14:21) i knew you loved me!**

(14:21) you're just taking advantage of the fact that i'm weak against you

 **(14:22) and i love you too**

(14:22) stupid pikachu

 **/**

 **(14:16) Hey Jirou!**

 **(14:16) We talked to All Might and he said he needs to check in with the chairman and the other teachers and that he'll come back to us. He didn't seem against the idea though.**

(14:16) great

(14:17) keep me posted

 **(14:17) Will do! I hope this all works out!**

 **Sixth Period**

(15:03) i am a girl of many talents, but patience isn't one of them, so spill the beans, yaomomo

(15:03) you've been checking your phone every goddamn minute during lunch

(15:03) what did wonderboy do to make you so restless?

(15:04) Kyouka…

(15:04) don't you kyouka me, girl!

(15:04) you didn't even tell me much about yesterday

(15:04) what should i believe?

(15:05) Yesterday was great. That's the problem.

(15:05) how is THAT a problem?

(15:05) He's reading The Name of the Rose right now.

(15:05) as in your favourite book?

(15:05) Yes.

(15:06) damn girl, not even i have done that

(15:06) I know. This might be the sweetest thing someone has ever done for me, and it's not good for my heart.

(15:07) to be fair, you also watched his favourite disney movie

(15:07) Watching a movie takes one hour and a half. Reading a book takes days, Kyouka. Days.

(15:07) so you're freaking out because he's too good to be true?

(15:08) I'm not freaking out, I'm just trying to pinpoint what I'm feeling.

(15:08) We talked a lot yesterday. It was a bit awkward at first, but then we fell into a steady pace, just like we do when texting. About his friends and my dorm life and Christmas policies in big enterprises.

(15:08) It's a bit scary how natural that felt.

(15:08) that's good! it means you guys will probably see each other again, right?

(15:09) I don't know? We haven't discussed that.

(15:09) what?!

(15:09) for the head of our year, you're quite stupid, you know that?

(15:09) I wanted to, but then he held my hand and all I could think about was that and the moments I spent with him right there.

(15:10) he did what now?!

(15:10) It's not like that!

(15:10) We were in a crowd and he just grabbed my hand so we wouldn't lose each other. I'm sure it meant nothing though so I'm probably just overthinking things again.

(15:11) Kyouka? Why did you just facepalm yourself?

(15:11) you've got it bad, girl

(15:11) you know, you can still write to him. he's reading that book for you, so i'm guessing he also wants to talk to you

(15:12) I'm just a bit scared.

(15:12) of what?

(15:12) I've known him for a week. I shouldn't blush whenever I remember his face or be so bubbly when he texts me.

(15:13) girl

(15:13) are you saying what i think you're saying?

(15:13) I don't know?

(15:13) I'm really confused.

(15:13) All I know is that I enjoy talking to him, and that whenever we're in touch, I feel at ease.

(15:14) look yaomomo, i don't think you necessarily have to figure that out right now

(15:14) you want to talk to him and you should do that

(15:14) if you do like him, it'll come naturally to you

(15:15) I guess…

(15:15) you'll know when you'll feel it

(15:15) Thanks, Kyouka.

(15:15) mhm

(15:16) do you need a hug?

(15:16) I think so.

(15:16) i'm coming

 **/**

 _(15:58) Our teacher has accepted the proposal, on condition he gets to know the four of you._

(15:58) that's reasonable

(15:58) do we have to drop by ua?

 _(15:59) Actually, he's going to come with the volleyball team for a practice match with Shiketsu on Thursday, so you could meet him then._

(16:00) sounds good

(16:00) well done, iida!

 _(16:01) Thank you, Jirou-kun. I'm looking forward to working with you._

(16:01) same here

 **After school**

 **(17:37) Todoroki.**

 _(17:39) Yes?_

 **(17:39) How come you aren't reading during the break?**

 _(17:39) I'm all sweaty from volleyball and I don't want to dirty the pages._

 **(17:40) And that wasn't a problem during lunch?**

 _(17:40) No, because they didn't have soba anymore. I was ready to sacrifice anything._

 **(17:40) You're really sore about that, huh?**

 _(17:40) Maybe I should file a complaint._

 **(17:41) Ooor maybe it was an accident and they'll have soba again tomorrow?**

 **(17:41) Anyway, that isn't why I messaged you.**

 **(17:41) We managed to get approval for Jirou and Yaoyorozu to sneak into the party. And Kaminari completed the lights for Uraraka-san!**

 _(17:43) I see._

 **(17:43) That was a long delay.**

 _(17:43) I'm not exactly sure how I should react. Yaoyorozu doesn't know I know she's coming to the party._

 **(17:43) So do you want to surprise her on anything?**

 _(17:44) I don't know._

 **(17:44) Well, you still have time to think about it. And we're always here if you need help planning something.**

 **(17:46) Todoroki? What's wrong? Why is your face livid?**

 _(17:47) I'm the hand crusher!_

 **/**

 _(17:50) Yaoyorozu, this may seem weird to ask, but is your hand alright? Did you break it? Does it hurt?_

(18:37) Todoroki-san, what are you talking about?

 _(19:56) I told you about the Hand Crusher, right?_

(19:57) You can't be serious!

 _(19:57) Why do I think you're laughing?_

(19:58) Because I am!

(19:58) My hand is just fine, not even a scratch.

 _(19:58) Are you sure?_

(19:58) [Photo] See? It's alright.

(19:58) You're not cursed, Todoroki-san.

 _(19:59) Or maybe I just can't curse you._

(19:59) Because I am *such* a curse-repellent.

 _(19:59) You're more of a coincidence-attractor._

(20:00) That's true.

(20:01) Does that bother you?

 _(20:01) Why would it? Meeting you was great._

 _(20:01) I'd actually like to see you again._

(20:01) Oh.

 _(20:01) Is that a bad oh?_

(20:02) No, just a surprised, I'd like to see you again too oh.

 _(20:02) Oh._

(20:02) Exactly.

 _(20:03) Well, we'll be playing against Shiketsu this Thursday, and the practice match will be held at your school._

 _(20:03) If you're fine with a team of sweaty volleyball nerds, you could come._

(20:03) What hour does the match start?

 _(20:03) 18:30. It may be pretty long, though._

(20:04) I'd love to come.

(20:04) I've never seen a live match! I'm excited!

 _(20:04) We're not that entertaining, you know?_

(20:04) I beg to differ. I actually watched some of your recorded games from the nationals and they're amazing!

 _(20:05) So that means I'll see you on Thursday?_

(20:05) Yes.

 _(20:05) Actually planning it is more nerve wracking than the accidental meeting._

(20:05) I'm glad I'm not the only one to think that.

 _(20:06) It's just like texting, but in real life. Why is it so different?_

(20:06) Probably because of the gestures and facial expressions and the atmosphere around and the voices and everything else. It's much more complex and *real*.

 _(20:06) But it's still about you and me, so I'm willing to go through the nervousness._

 _(20:07) That sounded really cheesy right?_

(20:07) Just a bit, but also very relatable.

(20:07) Can I ask you something?

 _(20:07) Sure._

(20:07) Why did you decide to buy The Name of the Rose?

 _(20:08) Because your favourite book is bound to have a part of you hidden in its pages. It's quite interesting to read it for William's mystery, but the Yaoyorozu mystery is just as intriguing._

(20:08) You're truly an enigma, Todoroki-san. The way you revealed your name, too. I don't think I ever asked you why you did that.

 _(20:09) Can I answer after I finish this book?_

(20:09) This doesn't seem to make any sense, but I'm sure you have your reasons, so yes.

 _(20:09) Thank you for trusting me._

 _(20:09) I have to go now. The bus is coming._

(20:09) Have a safe trip!

(20:10) And text me when you get home.

 **Monday Evening**

 _(21:03) Were you quoting me?_

(21:07) Perhaps.

 _(21:08) You never cease to amaze me._

(21:08) So I'm not getting boring, what a relief.

(21:08) My maths homework, however, is.

 _(21:08) I know that feeling. I have ruthlessly postponed that but I think I have to do it now if I don't want to spend a sleepless night._

(21:09) Not with the big game incoming, you don't.

 _(21:09) Mirio is so stoked about it. As is All Might. I think him and Aizawa are old friends._

(21:09) That would be quite comical, since Eraserhead is 90% done most of the time and your teacher seems to be so over the top.

 _(21:09) I've been meaning to ask this for a while now, but how did he earn that nickname?_

(21:10) Well, Aizawa-sensei is generally very sleepy. He doesn't open his eyes more than halfway for the most part.

(21:10) But when we take tests and he has a hunch that someone's copying, his eyes go wide and his gaze is so intense that the person in question just freezes.

(21:11) The upperclassmen said he erases any quirk you may have, steals every ace up your sleeve. Hence Eraserhead.

 _(21:11) Waw. That sounds a bit scary, to be honest._

(21:11) I think he loves us in his own way.

(21:11) Now, with this small interlude, should I leave you to your homework?

 _(21:12) Probably. Thanks for the distraction._

(21:12) Anytime.

 **/**

 _ **(22:21) yahoo!this is your friendly neighbour**_

(22:23) Ashido? What's wrong?

 _ **(22:23) nothings wrong girl**_

 _ **(22:23) just wanted to come by if thats okay?**_

 _ **(22:24) i hope you wont hate me but i have a favour to ask of you^~^**_

* * *

 _ **AN:**_ Hello!

Quite a lot of characters to follow this chapter, I know, but I swear Mina's part in the plot is genuine and it'll make for some fun interactions hehe~ Hopefully you enjoyed her (little) screentime here.  
Okay so I know this chapter was thin with TodoMomo interactions but the pieces are slowly falling into place as we approach the Christmas Party. And next chapter is quite a big one (get hyped yey!) so I'll make up with that.  
As you guys may know, I have quite a lot of ongoing works. Me and Nash ( infallibleimperfection) are working on a collab called In Between the Here and Now on ao3, so check that out if you're starving for some fun and fluffy todomomo! And there's also A Cup of Magic and some oneshots I still have to crosspost here, so yeah.  
Anyway, this is enough blabbering! Till next time, with some interesting developments~


	10. Chapter 10

**AN:** In which a second phone call happens and many insecurities get discussed. Also in which a new group chat is born and Bakugou's murderous intent gets relit:)

Normal is Momo  
Italics is _Shouto_  
Bold is **Midoriya**  
Underlined is Jirou  
Underlined bold is **Kaminari**  
Underlined italics is Iida  
Bold italics is **Ashido**

Heads-up: the first "the badass band" chat is read from Kami's phone with how he has everyone saved in his contacts. The second one is from Jirou's.

* * *

 **10\. Secrets and Backstories (Surprise, I'm Not Dead)**

* * *

 **Tuesday, 14th December**

 **Tuesday Morning**

 _(05:47) Alright but how much thought was poured into the layout of that library?_

(06:03) Oh my God, I can't believe you already reached that part.

 _(06:05) My bus was late. Or rather, I was early for it. I had a bit of a fitful sleep._

(06:05) Oh no, you aren't sick, are you? You have a big match coming up!

 _(06:05) I'm alright. I just had… a lot on my mind._

(06:06) I won't pry, but just now I'm here whenever you need me.

 _(06:06) Thank you, Yaoyorozu._

(06:06) And about the library! It's actually modeled after a real library in a small city close to Vienna, the capital of Austria.

(06:07) And the plan of the labyrinth derives from a large 13th century maze existing on the floors of the Rheims Cathedral in France.

 _(06:07) Given how much research went into designing it, I shouldn't be surprised it matches the map of the world, huh?_

(06:07) You certainly shouldn't. And once you discover who the murderer is, you'll understand why this library was important enough to deserve so much attention.

 _(06:08) Is it weird that I want to build a time machine just so I could visit it?_

(06:08) Not at all! And Eco describes it so marvelously that one of my dreams is to actually walk through this maze myself and break the codes.

 _(06:09) As if the murder mystery wasn't enough, these codes are genius._

(06:09) I actually believe the library segment to be more important than any other scene in the book, since it solds out the philosophy Eco built his novel around.

(06:09) Ah you're so close to the end! I don't want to spoil it but I'm super excited for you!

 _(06:09) Somehow, I can picture you bouncing with excitement._

(06:10) Don't be a psychic like that!

 _(06:10) But it's cute._

(06:10) Ah. Thank you.

 _(06:10) How is your book going along? The Great Gatsby, if I remember correctly?_

(06:10) Right. I finished it yesterday evening, after the math homework had destroyed my tolerance for boredom.

(06:11) It was a pleasant read, since the author writes with much wit and using comparisons that wouldn't have crossed my mind.

(06:11) The subject itself is a love story, and while not new or treating a groundbreaking theme, it was still an insightful look into American society and quite heartbreaking at the same time.

 _(06:11) Huh. Are you a romantic then?_

(06:11) I like to think I am pragmatic, but I do tend to be more optimistic when it comes to romance.

 _(06:11) Could you be more specific?_

(06:13) For instance, I believe there is someone for everyone. Not like a soulmate, just a that there is no person who doesn't deserve to have someone by their side. Whether they allow that person by their side or not is up to them, but I believe there is something to love about everyone, and that a person will eventually come along for whom the beautiful features of said person will shine brighter than any defects.

(06:13) I don't know if that makes any sense.

 _(06:14) No, it definitely does. And it's a beautiful mentality to live by._

(06:14) Are you not that optimistic, Todoroki-san?

 _(06:14) Perhaps I am not. But sometimes, when I talk to you, I feel like I could learn to trust fate more._

 _(06:14) Are you turning me into a romantic, Yaoyorozu?_

(06:15) It wasn't my intended goal, but if I could, I would.

 _(06:15) And why is that?_

(06:15) Because love is a beautiful thing to believe in, and it brings just a bit more color into one's life.

 _(06:15) That's… that's beautiful._

(06:16) Waw. It sure sounded cheesy.

(06:16) Isn't it too early for such a discussion?

 _(06:16) It's never too early to speak your mind._

 _(06:16) But speaking of time, why are you up before sunrise?_

(06:17) I guess you weren't the only one with something on their mind, Todoroki-san.

 _(06:17) If that pervert did something again, I am taking the first bus towards Shiketsu._

(06:17) No no, that's not it. I just had to make a decision.

 _(06:17) Just as you said, I won't pry, but I'll be listening if you need me._

(06:18) I think my problem was solved already.

(06:18) Thank you for your concern, though. It means a lot.

 _(06:18) Anytime. I have to get back to practice, talk to you later?_

(06:19) Of course.

 **/**

(07:34) yaomomo? your bed is empty, where are you?

(07:38) I'm in the library.

(07:38) so early?

(07:38) I needed to think.

(07:38) is this about ashido's plea from yesterday?

(07:40) Yes. I know she asked me to help as a friend (although I must admit I haven't the slightest idea why both you and Ashido believe I am some sort of love guru and come to me with your problems. I literally haven't ever had a boyfriend).

(07:40) Even so, I won't lie, the fact that Ashido's crush studies at UA and that this plan involved me meeting Todoroki-san one way or another was oddly convenient.

(07:41) And I honestly didn't know whether I wanted to barge in like that…

(07:41) why not?

(07:41) Because it'd be like inviting myself in his life, and he may not want me there.

(07:41) do you truly believe yourself?

(07:41) After the talk we had this morning… It may be wishful thinking, but I think he might want me at the party too.

(07:42) there you have jt then. you're coming, right?

(07:42) Yes. If only to add a little bit of colour.

 **First Period**

(07:54) third phase: get yaomomo to agree with the plan and join the band. status: complete

 **(07:57) sweeeet**

 **(07:57) BUT how could you oh so conveniently forget to tell me that kirishima knew ashido?**

(07:59) ups

(07:59) was i supposed to mention it?

 **(07:59) you literally made me ask kirishima whether he wanted to breakdance and his eyes lit like a christmas tree**

(07:59) awww!

 **(08:00) no kidding! whod have guessed they were classmates in middle school!**

(08:00) from the way ashido speaks of him, i think they might be more than that

 **(08:00) omggggggg**

 **(08:01) A CRUSH?!**

(08:01) "horn buddies" is how she puts it

(08:01) but she literally told yaomomo last night that her crush is at ua and she needs momo as moral support there when she confesses soooo

 **(08:01) so a crush**

 **(08:01) ah that explains so much**

 **(08:01) like how kirishima got up and knocked his chair down in the process when i asked him that**

(08:01) excitement level: kirishima

 **(08:02) man i cant wait to tease him now**

(08:02) don't be too harsh on him

(08:02) he sounds like the only sane guy in your squad

 **(08:02) is that supposed to be an insult?**

(08:03) what can i say, i have an acquired taste in men

 **(08:03) that makes me extremely lucky**

(08:03) leaving the gossip and mushy talk aside

(08:03) we have some serious business to attend

 **(08:03) its time for that huh?**

(08:04) you know it

 **/**

 **Kaminari Denki has created a new group chat with Jirou Kyouka 3, King of Explosion Murders, Ashido (Kirishima's Crush) and Messenger of Darkness**

 **Kaminari Denki named the chat "The Badass Band"**

 **Jirou Kyouka3:** well now that's done

 **Jirou Kyouka3:** welcome everyone

 **Kaminari Denki set his nickname to ElectroBolt**

 **ElectroBolt:** lets rock'n'roll!

 **King of Explosion Murders:** Let's fucking do this!

 **Ashido (Kirishima's crush):** someone looks excited;)

 **Messenger of Darkness:** This looks like a mad banquet of darkness…

 **ElectroBolt:** tokoyami bro long time no see! hows your dark shadow doin?

 **Messenger of Darkness:** He is alright… Trying not to let him sink into the madness of the underworld…

 **King of Explosion Murders:** Why is the bird fucker here again?! He creeps the shit outa me

 **Ashido (Kirishima's crush):** dont clown our best bassist!

 **ElectroBolt:** AND he can play the bagpipes!

 **Jirou Kyouka 3:** you and your fairytale of new york obsession

 **King of Explosion Murders:** Wait, I don't know this number, Ashido (Kirishima's crush) who are you?

 **Ashido (Kirishima's crush):** ashido mina breakdancer ar your service~~

 **King of Explosion Murders:** Wait a fucking moment

 **King of Explosion Murders:** We have a breakdancer but no paininst?

 **Jirou Kyouka3:** about that

 **Jirou Kyouka3:** there is a pianist but she's my special guest so you won't meet her until the night of our show

 **King of Explosion Murders:** And how exactly are we supposed to fucking practice?!

 **Jirou Kyouka3:** just trust me on this

 **ElectroBolt:** then we better start practicing as soon as possible!

 **Ashido (Kirishima's crush):** today after classes? 0-0

 **Jirou Kyouka3:** sounds good. everyone in?

 **King of Explosion Murders:** Do you NOT hear me woman?

 **ElectroBolt:** i can offer my humble abode as meeting place

 **ElectroBolt:** but if you ruin something again my parents will disown me and i will pretend ive never met you

 **Jirou Kyouka3:** and i will personally kick your butt bakugou

 **Ashido (Kirishima's crush):** omg someone has pissed jirou off!

 **Ashido (Kirishima's crush):** this smells like drama~~~ im so in!

 **King of Explosion Murders:** Fuckers.

 **ElectroBolt:** so youre not coming baku?

 **King of Explosion Murders:** Who the fuck are you calling "Baku" you shit for brains?!

 **King of Explosion Murders:** And of course I am fucking coming you couldn't do anything without a drummer you dipshits!

 **Jirou Kyouka3:** glad that's settled

 **Jirou Kyouka3:** you have volleyball practice right bakugou?

 **King of Explosion Murders:** Yeah, till 8 if Mirio doesn't feel like killing us with extra drills.

 **Jirou Kyouka3:** come to pikachu's basement once you're done.

 **Jirou Kyouka3:** the rest of you lot, be there at 18:30. tardiness won't be excused

 **Ashido (Kirishima's crush):** yes ma'am!

 **Messenger of Darkness:** I shall honor this contract of darkness…

 **ElectroBolt:** see you guys soon!

 **/**

 _ **(08:13) girl not to burst your bubble**_

 _ **(08:13) i know im an important part of this plan and all**_

 _ **(08:13) but i cant break dance all alone**_

(08:14) you have kirishima backing you up, right?

 _ **(08:14) yeah but ill need at least two more people for a proper choreography**_

(08:14) we can't squeeze in more people from shiketsu

(08:14) hang on, i'll talk with our agents on the inside

 _ **(08:15) uuuuh, I like the sound of that~~**_

 _ **(08:15) tell them they dont have to be pro ill teach them all they need to know as long as they are decent dancers**_

(08:15) perfect

 **/**

(08:15) yo midoriya!

 **(08:17) Jirou, what a surprise. Is everything alright?**

(08:17) yes. we've actually convinced yaomomo to come

 **(08:17) Great!**

(08:18) so listen, our breakdancer? ashido? yeah she said she'd like to do a good job so she needs at least two more people willing to learn her dance

 **(08:18) Let me guess, you want someone from UA.**

(08:18) smart boy

(08:19) she isn't asking for pros. just people who feel the beat

 **(08:19) At least two, right? I'll talk to my friends and we'll see what we can do.**

(08:19) knew i could count on you!

 **Second period**

 **(09:04) Hey Iida!**

 _(09:04) Midoriya-kun! What happened?_

 **(09:05) Jirou said they need at least two more people willing to dance for the Christmas Party.**

 **(09:05) And I was thinking we wanted to surprize Uraraka-san with the lights anyway, right? And she's a great dancer, so why not keep her busy with the dance practice while we set up the surprize?**

 _(09:06) That sounds like a solid plan. But you need at least one more person, right? Who else do you have in mind?_

 **(09:06) I was thinking of Aoyama-kun. I think he'd love to stand out.**

 _(09:07) Perfect._

 _(09:07) Speaking of that… doesn't Todoroki-kun look rather tired to you?_

 **(09:07) Yeah, I think he nearly fell asleep in calculus…**

 **(09:07) I'll talk to him.**

 **/**

 **(09:07) Todoroki-kun?**

 **(09:07) Sorry for startling you, but please don't fall asleep during Professor 13's physics class!**

 _(09:08) I promise nothing, but I'll try._

 **(09:08) Did something happen?**

 _(09:09) Not really. I just couldn't sleep well, that's all._

 _(09:09) And before you ask no, it doesn't have anything to do with Yaoyorozu. Not directly, anyway._

 **(09:09) I see.**

 **(09:10) Well then, do you want some green tea? I could rush to the vending machine.**

 _(09:10) You're an angel, Midoriya._

 **Fourth Period**

 **The Bakusquad**

 **Red Riot:** Would you rather drink water for the rest of your life ooor you can drink anything else but it has to have a drop of pee in it?

 **Explodo McExplode:** What the actual FUCK?!

 **Tapeman:** Just answer the question Bakugou

 **Explodo McExplode:** Fucking water of course!

 **Explodo McExplode:** What dipshit would drink pee?

 **ElectroBolt:** this dipshit right here

 **ElectroBolt:** come on dude how could you give up on milk? or milkshakes? or cappuccino?

 **Explodo McExplode:** But it's fucking pee!

 **ElectroBolt:** IT'S ORGANIC!

 **ElectroBolt:** IT'S HEALTHIER THAN MOST OF WHAT WE DRINK!

 **Tapeman:** He has a point

 **Red Riot:** What would you choose, Sero?

 **Tapeman:** Does it have to be yellowish from the pee?

 **Red Riot:** Yeah

 **Tapeman:** Oh screw it, pee it is!

 **ElectroBolt:** YEAH MAN!

 **Tapeman:** I can't live without vanilla frappes

 **Explodo McExplode:** You all are fucking insane!

 **ElectroBolt:** thats why you love us

 **Tapeman:** Before another war starts how did you come across that question kirishima?

 **Red Riot:** A friend of mine made me watch this movie called to all the boys i've loved before

 **Red Riot:** And two of the characters were discussing this question

 **ElectroBolt:** omgomgomgomg is it a ROMANCE?

 **Explodo McExplode:** Did the fucking name give it away?

 **Red Riot:** It is

 **Explodo McExplode:** No shit Sherlock.

 **ElectroBolt:** omgggg

 **ElectroBolt:** I LOVE ROMANCES!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Why are you all pointing out the obvious today?!

 **Tapeman:** Why are you so sour bakugou?

 **ElectroBolt:** i think hes afraid jirou will kick his butt when he meets her

 **Red Riot:** Omg he's meeting your girlfriend?!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I've met her before dipshit and I ain't fucking scared!

 **Tapeman:** Oh right you used to be in the same band

 **Explodo McExplode:** A band created solely because blondie here had the hots for her.

 **ElectroBolt:** thats a story for another time

 **ElectroBolt:** for now i have to trick her into watching this movie with me

 **Red Riot:** Trick?

 **ElectroBolt:** she isnt big on romances

 **ElectroBolt:** hit her up with action or fantasy and youll win her over

 **ElectroBolt:** romance tho… she says its mushy

 **Explodo McExplode:** Because it fucking is!

 **Tapeman:** Dude you cried at the notebook

 **Explodo McExplode:** I wasn't crying! Something was fucking stuck in my eye!

 **ElectroBolt:** tears?

 **ElectroBolt:** its okay baku we know youre tough

 **ElectroBolt:** men can cry

 **Explodo McExplode:** I'LL MAKE YOU CRY WHEN I CATCH YOUR UGLY FACE AND TURN IT INTO YOUR FUCKING ASS!

 **Red Riot:** Bakugou wait this is a study hall!

 **ElectroBolt:** this is my cue to visit the library bye guys i love you

 **Tapeman:** There's no point in running after them Kirishima

 **Tapeman:** Our dear friends won't stop until Bakugou barrels Kaminari in and the latter apologises

 **Red Riot:** Sigh…

 **Res Riot:** Kaminari hasn't visited the library since he put pepper in Bakugou's toothpaste, huh?

 **Tapeman:** The good old times…

 **/**

 **(11:35) jirou if i die i want my last words to be i love you**

(11:35) firstly don't annoy bakugou anymore

(11:36) secondly don't text, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE

 **(11:38) a loving girlfriend as always**

(11:38) i try

 **Lunch Break**

(12:48) I know this is random but I just saw this adorable post of cat snaps and I had to share it!

(12:48) Post

 _(12:56) I think I may get diabetes._

(12:56) "Forward, my noble steed!"

 _(12:56) That was insanely cute but my favourite has to be the one with the playmate._

 _(12:56) The dedication there… boundless._

(12:57) This post made me smile so I was kind of hoping it may help you too… with whatever it is that's eating away at your brain.

 _(12:57) Thank you, Yaoyorozu._

 _(12:57) I don't think anybody's ever done that for me._

(12:57) Sent you random cat memes?

 _(12:58) Cared about me to such an extent._

(12:58) You deserve it, Todoroki-san.

 _(12:58) I wonder._

(12:58) Why is that?

 _(12:58) If you were to know everything about me Yaoyorozu, would you still say that?_

(12:59) We all have parts of us we ourselves don't like.

 _(12:59) That's not what I mean._

 _(12:59) There's a side to me not many people have seen. I don't think *you'd* like it._

(12:59) Don't decide what I would or wouldn't like for me.

(13:00) I'm not a mind reader, Todoroki-san. Unless you tell me what it is you are afraid of, I won't know. And I won't be able to accept something I don't know about either.

(13:05) What I'm trying to say is, talk to me before you decide I won't like what you're about to tell me.

(13:07) Todoroki-san?

 **/**

(13:06) kaminari? are you still alive?

 **(13:08) barely**

 **(13:08) i have the librarian to thank**

 **(13:08) she saved my life**

(13:09) is it possible to stop a pissed bakugou?

 **(13:09) no**

 **(13:09) but its possible to hide me**

 **(13:10) she was cleaning and there happened to be an empty bookcase close by, so I sneaked into it and she draped a cover over me**

 **(13:10) my neck hurts like hell**

(13:10) but at least you're alive

 **(13:10) true**

(13:11) so what now? if you enter the cafeteria, bakugou will see you.

 **(13:11) no idea**

(13:11) you could ask kirishima or sero to bring you food

 **(13:11) hed see them leave and include them in his revenge plan**

 **(13:11) i respect my brocode!**

(13:12) then what?

 **(13:12) i waltz in there and remind him hell meet my badass girlfriend tonight so he better leave me be unless he wants his ass kicked**

(13:12) sorry to burst your bubble but shouldnt it be the other way around? you know, the boy protecting the girl?

 **(13:13) old social norms**

 **(13:13) you wouldnt have dated me if you wanted protection**

 **(13:13) and i wouldnt love you as much as i do if you werent a badass and could hold your own**

 **(13:14) jirou?**

(13:15) i'll take that as a compliment

(13:15) text me if you're alive

 **(13:16) I KNEW YOU CARED!**

 **/**

 **(13:08) I got you four dancers.**

(13:14) well done midoriya! do i deserve some names?

 **(13:16) Uraraka and Aoyama, as well as me and Iida.**

(13:16) uraraka… that name sounds familiar

(13:16) wait!

(13:17) isn't that your crush?!

 **(13:17) She's not - we're not like that! She's just a friend!**

 **(13:17) What did Todoroki tell Yaoyorozu-san…?**

(13:17) judging from your reaction, probably the truth

(13:18) leaving your sweet romance aside (you're in the denial phase, trust me, it'll pass)

(13:18) how come you and iida are part of the dance team too?

 **(13:18) Well…**

 **(13:18) Uraraka may or may not have persuaded us.**

(13:19) no comment

(13:19) gimme their phone numbers and i won't tease

 **(13:19) Your mercy is appreciated.**

 **The Badass Band**

 **Jirou Kyouka added Uraraka (Midoriya's crush), Midoriya (wingman#1), Iida (wingman#2) and Aoyama (who dat?) to the group chat**

 **Ashido Mina ^~^ added Kirishima Horn Buddy**

 **Ashido Mina ^~^:** now we finally have everyone wohooo

 **Midoriya (wingman#1):** Nice to meet everyone!

 **Iida (wingman#2):** Likewise!

 **Kirishima Horn Buddy:** Oh Bakugou is here too!

 **Grumpy:** What the fuck are you dipshits doing here?

 **Grumpy:** Why is FUCKING DEKU HERE?!

 **Ashido Mina ^~^:** because unlike you he can dance!

 **Jirou Kyouka:** you won't even practice together for the most part so stop. bitching.

 **Jirou Kyouka:** we're all meeting up at 18:30, or as soon as you finish practice for the volleyball club. no buts no excuses

 **ElectroBolt:** class dismissed

 **Jirou Kyouka:** sometimes i wonder what's wrong with you

 **Ashido Mina ^~^:** buuuuurn 0-0

 **Fifth Period**

(14:06) Kyouka I think he hates me.

(14:06) i'll pretend i'm emotionally prepared for this conversation

(14:07) go on, tell me what happened

(14:07) I don't know! I'm so stupid!

(14:07) He just started acting cryptic and self depreciating and I lashed out on him!

(14:07) Although I knew he was worried about something and this was probably it ahhh what sort of friend does that Kyouka?!

(14:08) woah woah woah hold your horses girl

(14:08) did you insult him?

(14:08) No? I don't think so.

(14:08) did he say he hated you or needed a break?

(14:09) No…

(14:09) But he hasn't answered in like an hour and I'm scared of writing to him again!

(14:09) maybe his phone was confiscated or something

(14:09) don't just go assuming the worst

(14:09) you have his friend's number, right?

(14:10) Kyouka, you're a genius! I love you!

(14:10) yeah yeah, here i go, saving asses all day long

(14:10) i should get paid for this shit

 **/**

(14:13) Midoriya-san, I hope I am not being nosy when I ask you what happened with Todoroki-san… I was unfairly harsh to him earlier today and I hope I haven't wounded him, since that wasn't my intention.

 **(14:14) His battery died an hour ago so I am not certain he even got your message.**

 **(14:14) He's been fighting with Bakugou over a charger the whole break and I think he just managed to snatch it away from him with Sero's help.**

(14:15) That's a relief. Thank you, Midoriya-san! Sorry to have bothered!

 **(14:15) No problem. I hope you're both okay!**

 **After school**

 _(17:34) I'm sorry, I just saw your message now (my phone died and I had to fight for a charger and then continue the fight over the plug-in… it's a long story)._

 _(17:34) Thank you for being patient and sincere with me, too. I did not take it as an insult - if anything, I'm glad you're willing to listen to me._

 _(17:36) And I finished the book. I think I get why it's your favourite book, and the importance of the library scene. As I was reading through the first half, I thought it was about Adso defining his identity and finding his place within the ideologies he's presented with, but the second part portrays the question of knowledge in the wrong hands and I couldn't help but remember our conversation about you and chemistry and I feel like I may understand. With knowledge comes pressure, and the more one knows, the heavier that weight becomes._

 _(17:39) Yet I couldn't help but notice another theme, one conveyed through the author's choices rather than words. The crimes were all centered around the danger of knowledge, and they came not out of a wicked thirst of murder, but as a natural conclusion to finding out too much (you were right, I didn't expect the murderer and loved the plot twist). What shocked me, however, is that he isn't discovered through deductive logic, like Poirot solves his cases for instance, but through coincidences and errors. Just as Eco says in the postscript, "very little is discovered and the detective is defeated", and that's because William was never there as a detective. I think he was there to illustrate an ideology and serve as a model for the reader, and integrating failure in his path somehow makes it sound less humiliating and more… normal._

 _(17:40) I guess what I'm trying to say is that this book serves as a life lesson and I am glad I read it, because (and I don't say this lightly) I loved it. Thank you, Yaoyorozu._

 _(17:45) May I call you once I'm done with club?_

(18:23) You got it all, Todoroki-san. Of course you can call!

 **Tuesday Evening**

Shouto shuffled towards the back of the buss, taking his usual seat by the window. It was so cold outside that his breath fogged the glass when he lowered his scarf, and he traced the beginning of frost-kissed corners and ice flowers along the windowsills with his gloved finger.

Leaning against the headrest, he stretched his legs and shifted the sports bag in his hands. Captain Mirio was so excited for their upcoming match that he blew all the steam in the form of twenty extra drills per person, which translated into sore muscles for Shouto and heartbeats so erratic they weren't back to normal yet. He waited until the second stop for his breathing to even out before he pulled his phone out and unlocked it with a swipe.

The screen blinked to life on Yaoyorozu's contact, and he pressed call before he could change his mind about what he wanted to tell her.

Shouto held his breath as the phone rang. He only loosened a relieved sigh when she picked up at the third ring.

"Good evening, Todoroki-san!" her voice came from the other end of the line, and Shouto muffled his smile into his scar, but he doubted he could hide the crinkles around his eyes. Yaoyorozu had this hypnotic voice that made him instantly feel at ease, as if it carrassed the part of his soul in dire need of calm and affection.

"Hello," he rasped, and made a mental note to stop yelling at Bakugou during practice.

She noticed his hoarse tone and sent one of the goosebump-inducing giggles his way, "Practice was harder than usual?"

"You have no idea," he huffed. "Both Mirio-senpai and All Might are absolutely pumped for this match and they seem set on preparing us for every possible attack."

"You say that, but your voice betrays excitement!"

Shouto could imagine her beaming at her correct deduction, and decided to grace her right guess with a low chuckle. "Can you blame me? We've never played against them before, and new opponents bring new challenges."

"Indeed. I hope you still rest properly, however," she alluded to their morning discussion, her voice coated with concern.

Shouto wished he could speed up the clock to make it Thursday and meet her again, to see those obsidian pools light up like the starry night sky when she smiled, and he bit down the impulse to change his bus and head to Shiketsu.

"I'll try. Although if you give me another book as good as The Name of the Rose, I just might spend the entire night reading," he teased indeed.

"After the match, I'll recommend you more of my favourites," she said with what must have been a complice smile. "I'm so glad you liked it, though, and you - you got it, Todoroki-san." Her voice suddenly cracked with emotion, and Shouto braced himself for a rant that never came. He was starting to get used to the way she blabbered about the things she loved, so why was she suddenly quiet?

"Yaoyorozu?"

"Oh, I was just lost in thought," she said as if he had woken her up from a daydream.

"A thought for a thought?" Shouto suggested.

"What?"

"You tell me what you were thinking about and in exchange, I tell you what _I_ was thinking about."

She pondered the suggestion for a moment before replying, "Sounds fair." Taking in a deep breath, he heard her turn on her side and supposed she must have been in her dorm room - alone, given that Jirou hadn't made any snarky observations as of yet.

"I was thinking about your earlier messages. About knowledge in the wrong hands, and about my chemistry. I told you before how my parents own a cosmetics company?" Shouto hummed. "Well if I were to succeed them, I'd mostly be doing managerial things, and not working in the lab per se. But then, I'd probably find myself into delicate situations: I'd need to pay the competition mind, to alter the composition of certain products because whether they are sold or not is what matters in the end, and quality sometimes comes second to marketing in big industries.

"And I was thinking about what else I could do with science, that maybe I could save lives, and that I may neutralize the damage someone with more knowledge than me inflicted on the world by developing nuclear bombs. That perhaps I can do more than sit in a chair and lead a company by words alone."

She sucked in a breath and her tone dropped an octave, until it was barely above a whisper, "And then it dawns on me that that may be all just wishful thinking and that maybe I'm not made for the latter, and that scares me more than spending the rest of my life signing contracts does."

Shouto wasn't sure how to reply to the heartfelt confession, but he knew he spoke from the depths of his heart when he said, "You can only try, right? Maybe you won't indeed make a revolutionary scientific breakthrough, but maybe you'll be part of a team that will or maybe your research will be read years later and inspire someone. I once read this quote - let me see if I remember correctly - _Shoot for the moon. Even if you don't reach it, you'll at least be among the stars._ "

Yaoyorozu let out a small laugh that sounded as if it was woven together from all her worries and hopes, and she said, "That's true. But what if I fall from the sky?"

Weirdly enough, Shouto felt as if he could be poetic just this once and answer, "Then you'll be a shooting star, and someone will make a wish upon you."

"That's beautiful, Todoroki-san," Yaoyorozu said, no amusement of mockery in her voice. He could imagine her curling into herself, pressing the phone to her cheek with a hand as she ran the other one through the ends of her ponytail, and he smiled softly.

"What's your thought?" she asked.

Perhaps she couldn't take the weight off his shoulders - Shouto wasn't asking that of her anyway. But she could listen, and if she didn't walk away, that was already more than enough.

The bus engine purred as it left another empty station, and the lights were low inside, no one other than Shouto adventuring into the cold, lone winter night. He spoke slowly, as if retelling a fairytale he had long since forgotten, just like his mother used to when the first snow fell every year.

"I was thinking about my mother - and my family. My father used to be a volleyball player - he was one of the best in Japan, the experts claimed. But there was someone he could never beat, a certain Yagi Toshinori, now a teacher at UA known as All Might.

"I think my father always felt inferior to him because of that, and he wanted to get his quote-on-quote revenge through his children. As my siblings were born, one on one, he'd try to teach them volleyball and make them play with the best teams in Tokyo, but he was never quite satisfied.

"When he first introduced me to volleyball, it was as a wing spiker, since that was the role All Might used to play. He said I had a spark, and that I could take over his legacy. I was five and giddy at the time - the ball was my best friend, because it connected me to my brothers and I loved seeing them jump as if they had wings to reach it. It made me dream big - that maybe someday we'll all play together.

"But as soon as I was deemed worthy or whatever, my father cut our wings as he separated me from my siblings, saying I had to hone my skills by myself. He put me through spartan training, and he was merciless. Sometimes I'd get injured so badly from my training that I'd sneak into Mom's room and cry as she kissed my injuries. I think I broke my hand twice, and he made me play even during recovery.

"Mom was against this, and she tried talking him into going easier on me, but my father was fueled by hatred for All Might, and he kept going. Someone had to break sooner or later.

"It was Mom."

He stopped when he noticed he had clutched his hand so tightly around his bag that his nails dug into his hand, even through the gloves, and it hurt. Yaoyorozu said nothing, but her shallow breath assured him she was still there, still listening. So he continued.

"I shouldn't have barged in on Mom during my training, but I was hungry and she was in the kitchen. I also shouldn't have heard her talking with Grandma and telling her we're starting to look more and more like _him_ , and that my left side - the red hair I inherited from my father - looks hideous for her. When I crept into the kitchen and tugged at her pants, I must have looked like the monster haunting her nightmares. Her only weapon was the kettle with boiling water and my only fault was having _him_ as my father.

"A week later, I was discharged from the hospital with a scar. She remained with a mental illness."

Yaoyorozu finally managed a, "Todoroki-san" and her voice was so brittle that he realised she had been quietly crying.

But he couldn't stop now, not when the dragon of this fairy tale was about to be defeated. "Volleyball was all I had and yet I hated it with burning passion, because it reminded me of him. But since he used to play setter and All Might, who had become my hero over the years, played wing spiker, I supposed that made me less of a brute.

"I enrolled in UA on recommandation, and joined the team. Bakugou and Midoriya were the other two first years who joined, the first as middle blocker, the second as my rival wing spiker. But I couldn't see them, couldn't see past the protective shield I had built around me.

"Until the qualifier for the nationals. We were at match point and our hits weren't connecting. The only ones close enough to the net to score were me and Midoriya. I was in no position to spike - the ball was too low, lacking the necessary impulse, but I could see it. I could see the toss, as if in slow motion, the way my body would have to arch to reach it and send it over to Midoriya where the blockers wouldn't think of shielding because of his height.

"But I couldn't, because I had sworn never to be a tosser. As if reading my thoughts, that was when Midoriya yelled at me, _It's your talent, Todoroki. It's your own power._ I think it was the first time I had ever _heard_ him.

Shouto inhaled greedily as he concluded, "The ball connected. And within me, something clicked."

The silence around him was deafening, but Yaoyorozu soon filled it with, "That's why Tangled. And your name reveal." Her thoughts came out in broken sentences, between inaudible sobs that Shouto could somehow still make out.

"Yes," he answered and wondered whether that was too much. Whether _he_ was too much.

But Yaoyorozu only said, "I need to personally thank Midoriya for telling you what you needed to hear. Because you are indeed your own person, and you aren't defined by your father's mistakes. And for what's worth, Todoroki-san, I think you're a wonderful person."

And somehow, that was all Shouto needed to hear before tears he didn't know had been welling up behind his eyelashes rolled down his frozen cheeks, slowly, as if time wasn't rushing them to dampen his red muffler.

"I'm sorry for this - if it was too much-"

"It wasn't. It came from your heart, and I feel honored - _honored_ \- that you shared this with me. I-I kinda wish I could give you a hug right now, because words won't do this justice." He could see the blush dusting her cheeks, and his tears stammered on their way down as they met his blooming smile.

"But I want you to know," she continued, "that you're never too much, Todoroki-san, and that I'll always listen."

"Why?" He couldn't stop the question before he blurted it out, and he held his breath until she answered again.

"Just as I said earlier today. With or without your backstory, you're worth it, Todoroki-san. Because you aren't defined by that - to me, you're a volleyball dork who likes Disney movies and who can get my favourite book and weird taste in music. We all carry emotional baggage, bigger or smaller, but as long as you can take a moment to enjoy these little things? You'll be fine."

"Yaoyorozu, you - you always say you like my outlook in life, but you're amazing, you know that?"

"Thank you," the smile in her voice was audible. "So are you."

Shouto glanced out the window as the bus stopped and quickly scrambled to his feet, "Shoot! This is my station!"

"Oh no, I don't want to keep you for too long!" Yaoyorozu said, suddenly sounding guilty.

She was about to hang up when Shouto said, "Yaoyorozu? Thank you." He looked up at the cloudless winter sky and added, "For being my coincidence and accepting my errors."

If he could see her face, he was sure her eyes would sparkle with all colours and none at the same time, absorbing all the happiness in the world in those dark pools of kindness and beauty. "It's a pleasure to have dialed a wrong number. Good night, Todoroki-san!"

"Night, Yaoyorozu!"

 **/**

(22:05) Kyouka, I've been thinking.  
(22:05) I think I like him after all.

* * *

AN: Hello!

I know you guys have been waiting, but I hope it was worth it. With well over 6k, this is the longest and most important chapter of d&e as of yet. I hope you'll keep enjoying this up until the end, and thank you for the constant love and support! It really does blow my mind, and all of your reviews warm me up!  
Also I got lovely fanart from selephi on tumblr, so check her out! And the amaing ginpachi_sensei on ao3 translated this in russian too ahh! I don't deserve all of this love!  
Thank you guys for all the love and patience, and get ready for more!


	11. Chapter 11

AN: In which A LOT of interactions take place, Uraraka, Aizawa and All Might are properly introduced and Momo has an existential crisis.

Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shout  
Underlined is Kyouka  
Bold is **Midoriya**  
Bold underlined is **Kaminari**  
***Bold underlined*** is *****Bakugou*****  
!Bold! is **!All Might!**  
{Italics underlined} is {Aizawa}

* * *

 **11\. Nervousness and Revenge (The Title Is More Thrilling than the Chapter Itself)**

* * *

 **Wednesday, 15th December**

 **Wednesday Morning**

 _(04:58) She got it._

 **(05:34) There are many things I want to ask but I'll start with why are you up this early? You were quietly snoring in history yesterday, Todoroki!**

 _(05:37) I've had the best sleep of this entire year, I think. I went to sleep before 10 pm and I feel refreshed._

 **(05:37) And I'm guessing that has something to do with Yaoyorozu-san.**

 _(05:38) I called her last night and I told her._

 **(05:38) About…?**

 _(05:38) Yes. And she got it. She got why I told her my name. She understood everything, Midoriya._

 **(05:38) Waw. Good for you, Todoroki!**

 _(05:39) She's the first person apart from you I've ever told._

 **(05:39) And without even fighting her, that's a first.**

 _(05:39) I'm still sorry about breaking your arm._

 **(05:39) It got you to set, so I'd do it again without blinking.**

 _(05:39) I'll forever be grateful to you for that, Midoriya._

 **(05:40) Which is why you're planning on embarrassing me at the Christmas Party?**

 _(05:40) What are you talking about?_

 **(05:40) Oh please, I know for a fact that you and Iida are planning something behind my back.**

 _(05:41) We are doing no such thing!_

 **(05:41) Then why did Kaminari download classical music, something only you and Iida still listen to, on the school's computer?**

 **(05:41) I'm the class vicerep, I work on that computer on a weekly basis, did you think I wouldn't notice?**

 _(05:42) Yaoyorozu listens to classical music too, don't offend Mozart and Debussy like that!_

 **(05:42) How did you even find her? And stop changing the subject!**

 _(05:42) Actually, she found me. And I regret nothing._

 **(05:43) You're still changing the subject…**

 **(05:43) Leaving your scheming aside (for now), do you like her, Todoroki?**

 _(05:43) ? I wouldn't be talking to her if I didn't?_

 **(05:45) I mean in a romantic way.**

 _(05:45) Oh._

 _(05:47) I don't know?_

 _(05:47) I've only met her once, Midoriya._

 **(05:47) Irrelevant. You told her your deepest insecurities, you must trust her. For how long you've known her or your meeting her only once doesn't truly matter.**

 _(05:48) What even is to like someone?_

 **(05:51) It's like… you feel giddy thinking about them, but when they're around? Everything is suddenly calm because having them there feels natural. That's the way it's supposed to be. Of course they may still make you feel flustered but at the end of the day? It's that person who you realize you can share even silence with.**

 **(05:51) It may mean something else to every single person, but that's what it is to me.**

 _(05:51) I meant it as a rhetorical question, but are you talking from experience?_

 **(05:52) Todoroki!**

 _(05:52) Fine fine._

 _(05:52) I don't know. But I know I can't picture a day without talking to her now, and that she means a lot to me. She's… precious. I think that's the term._

 **(05:52) I see…**

 **(05:53) I for one don't think you have to label your relationship now.**

 _(05:53) Are you saying to go with the flow?_

 **(05:53) Why not? Sometimes life gets you exactly where you need to be.**

 **(05:54) Oh look, I see you!**

 _(05:54) I see you too._

 _(05:54) And Midoriya? Thanks._

 **(05:54) Anytime.**

 **(05:55) Let's just get into the gymnasium for now, it's freezing out here.**

 **/**

 **(07:23) sorry jirou i just saw your call what happened?**

 **(07:25) jirou is it bad?**

 **(07:29) OMG DID YOU GET HURT?!**

 **(07:31) jirou i am VERY WORRIED**

(07:31) oh my god i was sleeping

 **(07:31) thank GOD!**

(07:31) you're so lucky i'm too lazy to move my ass over to ua or i'd smack you for waking me up!

 **(07:32) you seen fine so why did you call? you never call**

(07:32) oh yeah

(07:32) i was excited

(07:32) unexpectedly fast developments on the todomomo front!

 **(07:32) omg tell me tell me tell me!**

(07:33) you don't deserve to know you woke me up

 **(07:33) oh come on jirou! you needed to wake up anyway you have school in like half an hour**

(07:33) and i need exactly 20 mins to get ready

 **(07:33) come oooonnnn**

 **(07:34) i was just worried for you!**

(07:34) you're probably trying to melt my stone heart but that's a failed attempt cadet

(07:34) i love my sleep more than anything

 **(07:34) jirouuuuu**

 **(07:34) you must have been really excited if you called! so something good must have happened!**

(07:34) it was VERY good

(07:35) too bad i won't tell you

 **(07:35) but its todomomo!**

 **(07:35) my daily soap opera!**

 **(07:35) its as necessary as the air i breathe!**

(07:35) ahh so sad

(07:36) i almost shed a tear

 **(07:36) fine have it your way**

 **(07:36) wait till you see wholl fill our trip playlist with sappy music**

(07:36) YOU WOULDN'T!

 **(07:36) its my family youre coming with i choose the songs**

(07:37) you know i HATE sappy songs

 **(07:37) so sad**

 **(07:37) almost shed a tear**

(07:37) you're despicable

(07:37) fine

(07:38) yaomomo likes wonderboy

 **(07:38) OH**

 **(07:38) MY**

 **(07:38) GOD!**

 **(07:38) !**

 **(07:38) TODOMOMO IS HAPPENING!**

(07:39) now i'm glad i'm not there you would have killed my earbuds

 **(07:39) but jirou! this is huge news!**

(07:39) i knooow

(07:39) that's why i called but *someone* was too busy to answer

 **(07:40) bakugou stayed over to practice**

(07:40) a sleepover, how sweet!

 **(07:40) yeah right more like i was keeping an eye on him making sure he didnt wreck the rest of the house**

(07:40) so he's not angry at you anymore?

 **(07:40) i think him staying over was his payback actually**

 **(07:41) he told me ghost stories jirou! GHOST STORIES!**

(07:41) you're scared of those

 **(07:41) EXACTLY!**

 **(07:41) i saw the evil look on his face and he was enjoying it the bastard!**

(07:42) look i'd like to diss mr grumpypants more but yaomomo's having an existential crisis

(07:42) gotta go

 **(07:42) omg I BET IT'S ABOUT TODOROKI!**

 **(07:42) keep me posted**

 **/**

(07:40) Was texting always this hard?

(07:42) I officially can't do it. I can't talk to him.

(07:42) never knew you were such a drama queen yaomomo

(07:43) But everytime I try writing a message I remember that I like him and I just. Sort of freeze.

(07:43) I can't face him like this Kyouka!

(07:43) well you aren't actually *facing* him

(07:43) more like *screening* him or something

(07:44) Not funny!

(07:44) Also, 'to screen' is an already existing verb and none of its meanings fit this context, so the pun isn't valid.

(07:44) okay jeez, i was just trying to lighten up the mood, you killjoy!

(07:44) just text him about whatever and you'll find your pacing once you start talking

(07:45) the key is not to overthink it

(07:45) I don't want to hear that from the person who rolled around in bed waiting for texts from her crush. I would know, I have the top bunker.

(07:45) we're not talking about that, yaomomo. friendship contract article 17!

(07:46) I didn't mention his name so I'm technically in the green zone.

(07:46) i hate how specific you are

(07:48) where are you anyway?

(07:48) Cafeteria.

(07:48) Where you should also be if you want those rice crackers.

(07:48) keep them there I'M COMING!

 **First period**

(07:56) When did it get so cold outside?! I had to walk the trek to school and I thought I'd freeze to death!

 _(07:59) Don't complain._

 _(07:59) Mirio made us do drills outside._

(07:59) Oh no! What if you get sick right before the big game?

 _(08:00) We won't, we're used to this._

 _(08:00) We also took a hot shower afterwards._

 _(08:00) Actually I think we have bigger problems than the cold._

(08:01) Enlighten me.

 _(08:01) Bakugou seemed in a *good mood* today._

(08:01) I beg your pardon?

 _(08:01) Exactly how Midoriya and I reacted._

 _(08:01) He was *humming* in the lockers._

(08:02) Should I get my apocalypse kit in order?

 _(08:02) I would strongly advise that._

 _(08:02) His "friends" looked equally worried._

(08:02) Why the quotes?

 _(08:03) I'm still not certain Bakugou is capable of making friends. Uraraka and I are 99% convinced he blackmailed his squad one way or another._

(08:04) What about the other 1%?

 _(08:04) Kirishima._

(08:04) ?

 _(08:05) There's this really nice guy in our class who's the closest thing to a best friend Bakugou has._

 _(08:05) He can actually *tame* Bakugou._

(08:05) Waw. So it's doable.

 _(08:05) Barely. He still barks, just doesn't bite._

 _(08:06) Well he couldn't stop Bakugou from fighting Midoriya and nearly destroying Court B._

(08:06) Oh dear, are they alright?

 _(08:06) Healthy, yes, but they got detention back then. All Might had to intervene and well, it wasn't all that pretty._

 _(08:06) I don't know the whole story. I think no one apart from the three of them actually does._

(08:07) Huh. Each of you sure has a loaded history.

(08:07) Oh uhm. I don't mean that in a negative way!

 _(08:07) I know._

(08:07) I just think it's amazing how you can create this stories together and learn from them!

 _(08:07) What about you then? I'm sure you and Jirou have your own backstory._

(08:08) Ah, it's pretty lame actually.

 _(08:08) Still, I'd like to know, if you don't mind._

(08:08) Of course I don't!

(08:09) So me and Jirou have known each other since we were six, but we weren't very close or anything. We bumped into each other every now and then, a few times in middle school because our classrooms were close, but I never really spoke to her extensively.

(08:09) Neither one of us knew the other one would apply for Shiketsu. Actually, my first choice was UA.

 _(08:09) Really?_

(08:10) Yeah. I liked the school better than Shiketsu, but this was family tradition and the chemistry labs here are better, although UA had better connections with science partners.

 _(08:10) Did you apply for UA?_

(08:10) I got in through recommendation. And then my parents talked into into choosing Shiketsu.

 _(08:10) I see…_

(08:11) There I was, a confused first year student, suddenly faced with having to share a dorm with a stranger. To both our surprises, my assigned roommate was none other than Kyouka.

(08:11) Afterwards we just clicked.

 _(08:11) Kind of like Midoriya and Uraraka._

(08:11) How so?

 _(08:12) They met on the day of the entrance exam. Since they also wanted to join the volleyball team and the number of places for it is limited, there is a separate exam for that. Midoriya shielded Uraraka from a ball that was coming her way and was about to knock her out cold, but that made him miss a ballpoint on their own court._

 _(08:13) In the end he scored no points and he was sure he'd fail, so Uraraka went to personally talk to Present Mic and give half of her points to him._

(08:13) What happened?

 _(08:13) They both got extra points for teamwork that scraped them into their respective teams and a warning to stop being so selfless._

(08:14) That's actually adorable!

 _(08:14) You should have seen him on the first day, he was tomato red._

(08:14) Why can I actually picture him hiding his face and mumbling?

(08:15) Is it scary that I feel like I've known your friends forever?

 _(08:15) No, not really. I also feel like Jirou has been dissing me forever._

(08:15) What about the badges she keeps giving you?

 _(08:15) Just a pretext so she can worm more information out of me and later blackmail me._

(08:16) So accurate it's almost scary.

(08:16) Oh, Miss Midnight is here, I have to go! Talk to you later?

 _(08:16) Wouldn't miss it._

 **/**

(08:08) i see you're happily texting

(08:08) what was the ice breaker?

(08:09) The cold.

(08:11) yaomomo.

(08:11) when i said anything

(08:11) i didn't mean the weather

(08:12) we need to have a serious talk about your social skills

(08:16) i don't know how you found someone who can engage in a conversation about the weather and make you bite your smile away

(08:16) are you sure you aren't soulmates?

(08:16) I'm only sure that I like him.

(08:17) omg too pure! stand back you angel!

(08:17) I'd hug you if Midnight-sensei wasn't here.

(08:17) murdered with love

(08:18) a nice thing to put on my tombstone

 **Second period**

(08:59) they're dorks

 **(09:02) what now?**

(09:02) they talk about the freaking weather.

 **(09:02) young innocent love**

(09:02) spoken like an old wise man

 **(09:03) this old wise man shall remind you that our sweet dear yaomomo needs to practice too**

(09:03) shoot you're right

(09:03) keep bakugou away from your place today

(09:04) also i'll ask mina to dance somewhere else

 **(09:04) why?**

(09:04) she'll get suspicious if she sees midoriya and iida there!

 **(09:04) right**

 **(09:05) you do that**

 **(09:05) ill try to make sense of why bakugou's smiling like that**

 **(09:05) honestly anything that doesnt look like murderous intent is creepy on his face**

 **/**

(09:06) girl, practice tonight at kaminari's place?

(09:06) I guess I got myself into a band, didn't I?

(09:07) do you regret it?

(09:07) Not a bit. I'll be there.

(09:07) perfect

 **Third Period**

 _(10:03) Midoriya._

 **(10:04) Wait, we're not doing it like this anymore.**

 _(10:04) What?_

 **Midoriya created a group chat with you, Iida and Uraraka**

 **Midoriya named the group chat "Todoroki's Drama"**

 **Todoroki:** What's this?

 **Uraraka:** It was very tiring for you to tell Deku, Deku to tell me and me to tell Iida, so we decided to create a group! ^~^

 **Midoriya:** If you're comfortable with it, of course!

 **Todoroki:** You'd all have found out sooner or later anyway, so I don't mind.

 **Todoroki:** But why is the group titled "Todoroki's Drama"?

 **Uraraka:** Because your story is literally a soap opera Todoroki!

 **Todoroki:** That's just because you enjoy it immensely.

 **Todoroki renamed the group "My Nosy Friends"**

 **Iida:** Do you believe we are too nosy, Todoroki-kun?

 **Todoroki:** It's partially my fault for telling you, so no.

 **Uraraka:** Stop delaying the story!

 **Todoroki:** Okay okay.

 **Todoroki:** Yaoyorozu told me she initially wanted to go to UA, but it was family tradition and whatnot to attend Shiketsu.

 **Todoroki:** Even so, she took the recommendation exam for UA and got accepted.

 **Uraraka:** OMG REALLY?!

 **Todoroki:** Yeah.

 **Todoroki:** So that got me thinking that I could have met her back then, only that I took the volleyball team admission exam, and that had a different schedule.

 **Iida:** Do you regret not having met her earlier?

 **Todoroki:** As weird as that may sound, I don't. I don't think I was at a point in my life where I appreciated people at their fullest, nor did I see them for who they were.

 **Todoroki:** I want to stop regretting what has or hasn't happened, and start appreciating what *is* happening.

 **Midoriya:** That's beautiful, Todoroki.

 **Uraraka:** Deku don t cry! Present Mic will notice you!

 **Iida:** Speaking of, we should pay attention to the class.

 **Todoroki:** Because ellipses will be oh so important in my day to day life.

 **Uraraka:** I m with Todoroki on this one

 **Uraraka:** They're ignoring us!

 **Todoroki:** And they have the audacity to claim to be our friends!

 **Uraraka:** Are you thinking what I m thinking? :))))

 **Todoroki:** I think I am!

 **Lunch Break**

 **The Bakusquad**

 **ElectroBolt:** okay but really guys why is bakugou smiling hes CREEPING ME OUT

 **Cellophane:** You do realise he's also in this chat don't ya?

 **ElectroBolt:** you do realise i want him to see this message dont ya?

 **Red Riot:** Why are you trampling his happiness?

 **ElectroBolt:** you know something dont ya, kirishima?

 **Red Riot:** Let's just say he's content with knowing your weakness

 **ElectroBolt:** OH

 **ElectroBolt:** MY

 **ElectroBolt:** GOD

 **ElectroBolt:** THIS IS TREASON!

 **ElectroBolt:** our friendship is hereby dissolved

 **ElectroBolt:** i cant believe this

 **Cellophane:** Wtf dude?

 **Red Riot:** Kaminari is afraid of horror movies

 **ElectroBolt:** WHY WOULD YOU EXPOSE ME LIKE THAT?!

 **Cellophane:** Really?

 **ElectroBolt:** and you call yourself friends…

 **Explodo McExplode:** He nearly pissed himself at Paranormal Activity!

 **Cellophane:** But that's a mild movie!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Exactly! But you should have seen him squirming!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Fucking priceless.

 **ElectroBolt:** i thought we got along guys!

 **Red Riot:** Stop teasing him…

 **Cellophane:** But you exposed him in the first place!

 **ElectroBolt:** thats it im out

 **ElectroBolt:** have fun making fun of me

 **Explodo McExplode:** Oh we fucking will!

 **Red Riot:** BAKUGOU!

 **Red Riot:** Kaminari… get back… we're sorry!

 **/**

 **(13:36) If Todoroki drops by, ignore him, please.**

(13:38) Uhm, may I ask why?

 **(13:38) He and Uraraka-san are ignoring me and Iida.**

(13:38) Still a bit lost.

 **(13:40) We made a group chat, but Iida and I turned our phones off when the math class started, ignoring all messages.**

 **(13:40) I think Todoroki and Uraraka-san are returning that particular favour.**

(13:41) I see.

(13:41) You sure have the most interesting dynamic!

 **(13:41) Why do I feel like a study case?**

(13:41) Ah no, that wasn't my intention, Midoriya-san!

(13:42) I meant to say you all seem very close friends! Your shenanigans are quite amusing, actually.

 **(13:42) I'm sure you do this sort of things too.**

(13:42) Our interactions are a bit different, maybe because my friends are mostly girls.

(13:43) For instance, we have scrabble nights and we often gather round just to listen to Kyouka sing or watch a movie.

 **(13:43) The advantages of dorm life, I suppose.**

 **(13:43) Scrabble sounds like a fun way to learn though! I should bring it to Iida's attention, I'm certain he'd agree! We could maybe do that, as well…**

(13:44) Is this your famous mumbling?

 **(13:44) I see Todoroki has wasted no time in informing you about my habits**

(13:44) Haha sorry.

(13:44) I also happen to know you're especially good with numbers.

(13:45) Uhm, am I overstepping my boundaries?

 **(13:45) Not at all. In fact you should probably know he talks about you a lot, too.**

 **(13:45) We actually created that infamous group chat for the sole purpose of having direct access to news concerning you, Yaoyorozu.**

 **(13:47) Too much?**

(13:47) No no, I'm happy you told me.

(13:48) I'm… flattered, in fact.

 **(13:48) That's a relief.**

 **(13:48) In any case I should disappear before I divulge too much.**

 **(13:48) Just remember my request.**

(13:49) I'll see what I can do.

 **/**

(13:45) They have a chat so that Todoroki-san can tell them about me!

(13:46) and wonderboy shall his name remain

(13:46) I am hyperventilating, Kyouka, how do I even respond to that?!

(13:46) a heart emoji may do the trick

(13:46) …

(13:47) alright fine, how do you feel about it?

(13:47) Ecstatic. Excited. Flattered. Very much confused.

(13:47) flattered seems safe, go with that

(13:48) Thank you!

(13:48) seriously, when will i get paid for this shit?

 **/**

 **(13:47) please tell me at least you appreciate me**

(13:48) and psychologist shall be my career path

(13:48) doctor jirou here, how may i help you?

 **(13:48) my "friends" found out my most humiliating weakness: horror movies**

 **(13:49) and now theyre laughing at my expense**

 **(13:49) what shall i do doctor?**

(13:49) ignore them. let them see what a day without you feels like

(13:49) and if that fails, there's always blackmailing them in revenge

 **(13:50) why do you assume that will fail…?**

(13:50) i'm just offering alternatives pikachu

 **(13:52) sighhhhh**

 **(13:52) thanks i guess**

(13:52) pikachu?

 **(13:53) yeah?**

(13:53) i do appreciate you

 **Sixth Period**

 _(15:03) Revenge may be stupid but it sure is sweet._

 _(15:03) Uraraka and I have been ignoring Midoriya and Iida for about two hours now. You should see the desperate look on Midoriya's face, it's priceless!_

(15:04) He was so desperate he actually wrote to me, asking me to ignore you.

 _(15:04) You aren't doing a very good job at it. (Is that how he abuses of having your number?)_

(15:04) Do you want me to comply with that particular request? (It would appear so.)

 _(15:05) Please don't, I quite enjoy talking to you._

(15:05) I would say so. After all, I heard Midoriya made a group just so you could give them updates from our discussions.

 _(15:05) That settles it, I'll be ignoring him until the match._

(15:06) Don't be so harsh on him, you have practice later today, right?

(15:06) If anything, I think it's nice that you share this stuff with them. … I tell Jirou too.

 _(15:06) Nice?_

(15:06) Cute or adorable sounded slightly creepy.

 _(15:07) I'm relieved that you don't think *I'm* creepy._

(15:07) You aren't.

 _(15:07) Phew._

 _(15:09) Yaoyorozu, I think we officially made today "Ignore Your Friends" day. One of our classmates (from Bakugou's "squad") is ignoring his friends too._

 _(15:09) And Bakugou looks freaking pissed._

(15:10) Is that trendy these days? Ignoring others?

 _(15:10) It is when Midoriya is in distress over my teaming up with Uraraka. She had to try really hard not to laugh when he literally *begged* her to excuse him._

 _(15:10) I had to cover her mouth to keep our pact._

(15:11) Which is?

 _(15:11) Ignoring them till school is over._

(15:11) All of this for maths.

 _(15:11) Precisely *what for* will I need ellipses in my life?_

(15:12) Actually, they are quite useful! You have surely heard of Versailles, right? The French castle that was considered one of the finest in Europe at the time of its construction, with its breathtaking gardens?

(15:12) One of the reason the gardens are so highly regarded is that they were very carefully planned. They were designed for the high ladies to gossip, and to eavesdrop. So they were created using the optical property of an ellipse.

(15:13) Basically if you send a ray of sun or sound wave from one focal point to the ellipse, it will be reflected exactly into the other focal point. So the gardeners put the benches in the focal points and built an ellipse of trees, thus enabling nobility to hear everything the others were talking about!

 _(15:13) That's… Waw, Yaoyorozu, why do you know that?_

(15:14) Ah, I just like reading useless stuff!

 _(15:14) This isn't useless at all! It actually motivated me to learn about them._

 _(15:14) I'm going to borrow Iida's notes._

(15:14) So you'll stop ignoring him?

 _(15:15) I'd do anything to eavesdrop on nobility._

(15:15) Sounds only fair. Good luck with that!

 _(15:15) Thanks._

 **/**

 **(15:20) I don't know how you piqued his interest in maths, but this is even better than ignoring him.**

 **(15:22) He's been diligently learning for over five minutes this is astounding.**

(15:22) I thought Todoroki-san had good grades?

 **(15:23) He does, he's third in our class. But still, he doesn't like maths with a burning passion or anything. Especially not geometry.**

(15:23) I'm glad he's feeling motivated then!

 **(15:24) You're a good influence on him, Yaoyorozu.**

 **(15:26) He told me about your phone call… Thank you.**

(15:26) I want to be there for him.

 **(15:27) You already are.**

 **Seventh Period**

 **(16:14)! Aizawa!**

 _(16:16) {all might? what are you doing, texting during class?}_

 **(16:16)! Don't worry! I gave them a quiz!**

 _(16:17) {it s the end of the year, do you hate them?}_

 **(16:17)! I don't! It's an exercise so they'd learn to never let their guard down!**

 _(16:17) {was that advice from "teaching for dummies"?}_

 **(16:18)! You knew?!**

 _(16:18) {everybody knows}_

 **(16:19)! That is mildly disturbing!**

 **(16:19)! However! That is not why I initiated this conversation!**

 **(16:19)! I heard four Shiketsu students want to join the UA Christmas Party!**

 _(16;20) {wasn t that an exclusive ua thing?}_

 **(16:20)! It still is, but your students have formed a band with mine, so I see no logical reason to refuse their attendance to the event!**

 **(16:20)! But you must understand we can't let just anyone in, so I need you to veto for them, and I also shall meet them in person tomorrow after the match!**

 _(16:20) {sounds reasonable}_

 _(16:21) {lemme guess: jirou?}_

 **(16:21)! Her name was indeed mentioned!**

 _(16:21) {figures. she s in the music club and can play almost any instrument}_

 **(16:21)! Impresive!**

 _(16:22) {probably tokoyami too, he s on the bass or something}_

 **(16:22)! Yes, your guess is correct!**

 **(16:22)! A certain Ashido Mina was also mentioned!**

 _(16:23) {a rowdy one, but she s got break dancing under her belt. make sure not to let her near any acid though}_

 **(16:23)! What?!**

 _(16:23) {long story short, she has her way with chemicals, in a way that almost rivals the best students. she never follows the recipe but always gets the synthesis right. it s a gift}_

 **(16:24)! You make it sound like you're a tough teacher (I bet you threatened to expel them) but isn't this the first year when you haven't actually expelled anyone?!**

 _(16:24) {they re a bunch with hope for a bright future}_

 **(16:24)! Are you soft, Aizawa?!**

 _(16:25) {no, i m just giving credit where credit is due}_

 **(16:25)! Never thought the day would come when your heart would be melted!**

 _(16:25) {you ve always been one for the dramatics all right}_

 _(16:25) {you ve mentioned four students and we only have three. who s the last one?}_

 **(16:26)! That's actually the interesting part!**

 **(16:26)! It's Yaoyorozu, the one who also passed *our* recommendation exam and still chose Shiketsu!**

 _(16:26) {should have figured}_

 _(16:26) {yaoyorozu and jirou are roommates, and the former always keeps the latter out of trouble. makes sense that she d come}_

 _(16:27) {also i m glad she chose shiketsu. she s my best student, albeit she would never describe herself as such}_

 **(16:27)! Modesty?!**

 _(16:27) {self doubt}_

 **(16:27)! Quite common among top students, in fact!**

 _(16:27) {another quote from your manuals?}_

 _(16:28) {jokes aside, i am surprised she agreed to being part of the band}_

 **(16:28)! Can she not play any instrument?!**

 _(16:28) {on the contrary, she played the piano during the cultural festival. she just isn t the type to party}_

 _(16:29) {although judging from the decorations in the common room, she is quite passionate about christmas}_

 **(16:29)! Who isn't?!**

 _(16:29) {hah}_

 _(16:30) {you ll like her. she s hardworking and diligent. maybe too much so}_

 **(16:30)! I cannot believe you said that!**

 _(16:30) {typed}_

 _(16:31) {as much as i complain, they re still kids. sometimes we forget that they should have fun, too}_

 **(16:31)! I suppose so!**

 **(16:31)! I am certain my students will have the time of their lives playing tomorrow. We won't go easy on you!**

 _(16:31) {neither will we}_

 _(16:31) {or the band}_

 **(16:33)! I look forward to that then!**

 **Eight Period**

 **(17:45) ***Okay you fucker, that red shit for hair is talking my ear off about apologizing and shit!*****

 **(17:49) ***Oi, stop fuckng ignoring us!*****

 **(17:50) im still very mad**

 **(17:50) but i love kirishima**

 **(17:50) ***Good for you, dipshit!*****

 **(17:52) no rehearsal tonight**

 **(17:53) ***WHY THE FUCK NOT?!*****

 **(17:53) im angry with you**

 **(17:55) ***Fucking idiot!*****

 **/**

 **(17:55) the coast is clear**

(17:56) i have no idea how you did it but good job!

 **(17:56) im just a genius**

(17:56) no comment

 **(17:56) HEY!**

(17:57) ashido will also practice at that aoyama dude's place so we're safe

 **(17:57) time to rocknroll!**

 **After school**

(18:34) you coming, yaomomo?

(18:37) Just a second, I'm wrapping up my duties as Class Representative!

(18:38) we'll be in the lobby when you're done. kaminari's picking us up.

(18:45) Great!

 **Wednesday Evening**

 _(20:03) It feels weird to be done with practice so early._

(20:34) Sorry for the delay, I was helping Kyouka with something!

(20:34) Is it because of the match tomorrow?

 _(20:36) You apologised._

 _(20:36) And yes, it is. Mirio-senpai and All Might insisted that we should rest up. They even told us we don't have practice tomorrow morning._

(20:37) And yet you'll be there anyway.

 _(20:37) Yes. I don't think I could sit still without touching the ball until after school._

 _(20:37) Besides, I know Midoriya and Bakugou well enough to guarantee that they'll be coming, too._

(20:38) It does sound like you guys.

 _(20:38) I have a hunch our senpais will be there too. They're all jittery to play against Shiketsu._

(20:38) I can't wait to see the match!

 _(20:38) Here I was, thinking you were looking forward to seeing me._

(20:39) That goes without saying.

(20:39) I'm actually too giddy to sleep.

(20:39) That's the fun fact you're getting, for the record.

 _(20:40) I feel at ease around you. Seeing you just seems the logical consequence to me._

(20:40) Shiketsu and UA aren't that far apart after all. Maybe we could… But your match comes first, of course!

 _(20:40) Yeah. I'd like that. A lot._

 _(20:41) I should probably go to sleep so that tomorrow will come faster._

(20:41) Right. Good night, Todoroki-san! And good luck tomorrow!

 _(20:41) Thank you. Night!_

 **/**

(22:31) will you stop tossing around? i'm trying to sleep here!

(22:33) is it wng?

(22:34) I can text him like normal (thank God!), but I'm *meeting* him tomorrow, Kyouka. Actually *seeing* him in flesh and bones.

(22:35) no shit sherlock.

(22:35) stop sighing dramatically. the point is you like him, but that doesn't change anything

(22:36) It changes *everything*.

(22:36) no it doesn't. all that "world being brighter" stuff is crap. nothing actually changes, except for you. you and your feelings change and grow, and as long as you accept and embrace that, the world continues its normal course

(22:37) believe me yaomomo, there's too much shit going on for the universe to have time to go "this is a boring day, let's fuck yaoyorozu up"

(22:37) That's oddly reassuring, though your phrasing does worry me.

(22:37) Thank you, Kyouka. I'm still not sure how to go about tomorrow, but it's a nice reminder that whatever happens, it won't kill me.

(22:37) duh. and i'll be there too

(22:38) How will I ever repay you for all of this?

(22:38) calling off the cleaning and laundry deal would be nice

(22:38) i could also take payment in sweets, i'm not picky

(22:38) It was a rhetorical question.

(22:39) do you want to cancel your subscription to kyouka wisdom?

(22:39) No laundry and extra dessert it is.

(22:39) I KNEW WE WERE FRIENDS FOR A REASON!

(22:40) The cleaning duty remains. Non-negotiable.

(22:40) Good night, Kyouka!

(22:40) i hope you have nightmares

* * *

AN: Hello everyone!

This update came later than it should have - sorry, mock exams took over my life. I'll update again tomorrow and then in the weekend too~ There are a lot of easter eggs inside, especially concerning Kamijirou and Izuocha, because this chapter marks the beginning of second half of the story (I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'VE ALREADY REACHED THE MIDDWAY POINT LIKE WAW!) and I intend to delve into the subplots more from now on, while keeping the focus on Todomomo! Perhaps that's why this chapter feels a little over the place, with a lot of things happening at the same time, but I hope it wasn't confusing!  
The chapters from now on will focus, just like before, on one main thing, but I needed the transition to that, as Momo and Shouto's universes widen and they start to talk more and more about what's around them, too.  
Thank you for reading! I'm still blown away by the positive reception of this fic, and I surely hope you'll keep enjoying it! All of your love keeps me alive!~~


	12. Chapter 12

**AN:** In which Yaoyorozu and Shouto meet again and they make a promise. (Attention: massive fluff incoming!)

Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shouto  
Bold is **Midoriya**  
Underlined is Jirou  
Underlined bold is **Kaminari**  
***Underlined bold*** is *****Bakugou*****  
~Bold italics~ is **~Uraraka~**

* * *

 **12\. Volleyball Matches and Night Strolls (aka the "It's-Not-a-Date-But-It's-Obviously-a-Date" Chapter)**

* * *

 **Thursday, 16th December  
Thursday Morning**

 _(05:14) Bakugou, I know you took the key from my jersey last night, so hurry up and get here already. I want to practise._

 **(05:16) ***Just freeze to death, Half'n'Half!*****

 _(05:16) Luckily the cats around are keeping me company (much better than your presence would be, mind you)._

 _(05:17) Nevertheless, you know as well as I do that Midoriya will be coming in a few minutes, too. You don't want to arrive after him, now do you?_

 **(05:17) ***Oh shut your mouth!*****

 _(05:18) I'm texting though…_

 **(05:18)***For fuck's sake, be there in two.*****

 **(05:18)***And if you don't want your gym key stolen, hide it someplace better, you dipshit.*****

 _(05:18) Your concern is much appreciated, but my lack of attention comes from my trust in my teammates._

 _(05:19) Never pegged you as the thief kind, Bakugou._

 **(05:19)***I'll make you toss to me in the most difficult places you fucker!*****

 _(05:19) You need to be here first to do that._

 **(05:20)***Just got off the subway, hold it in your pants.*****

 _(05:20) Such implications are gross, Kacchan._

 **(05:20)***YOU BITCH!*****

 _(05:21) At least now I know what gets you to sprint._

 **/**

(05:47) i'm gonna file a complaint against you

 _(06:14) I don't remember breaking the law, such as, I don't know, sneaking out of the dorms and returning after curfew?_

 _(06:17) I do wonder why I managed to piss you off (again) though._

(06:17) oh don't worry, you did plenty

(06:18) in this particular case, however, your fault lies in that your match made yaomomo wake up at FREAKING 5:30 AND PACE AROUND THE ROOM NERVOUSLY

 _(06:18) She's… worried?_

(06:18) yes sherlock, she fucking cares about your game. shocker, right?!

(06:19) she's been watching volleyball matches since before sunrise and forgot to plug her earphones in

(06:19) why are you guys so loud?! don't your throats hurt after all that screaming or something?!

(06:23) wonderboy?

 _(06:25) I just got hit by a ball._

 _(06:25) Nothing tragic, just a minor bruise on my forearm._

(06:25) i wasn't worrying

 _(06:25) Right, I wasn't talking to Yaoyorozu._

 _(06:26) Is she truly that concerned?_

(06:26) yes, wonderboy

(06:26) she has this way of fumbling with her skirt when she's anxious and she's doing it right now

 _(06:27) That's cute._

(06:27) omg don't make me groaaaaaan

(06:27) you can't see me but i'm rolling my eyes at you two dorks

 _(06:28) Is there any way I'm getting a picture of that? To check whether the mental image is accurate?_

(06:28) you're seeing her today, loverboy

(06:28) keep it in your pants

 _(06:29) Is this a trendy reply nowadays or what?_

(06:29) lol no

(06:29) you're so clueless it's kinda funny

 _(06:30) You have a weird sense of humor, Jirou._

(06:30) it's an acquired taste, wonderboy

 **/**

(05:44) I'M AWAKE SO YOU NEED TO SUFFER WITH ME

(05:44) KAMINARI

(05:46) KAMINARIIIIIIIIII!

(05:48) what sort of boyfriend are you…?

 **(05:56) jirou?**

 **(05:56) you okay?**

 **(05:57) you never wake up this early**

(05:57) ah, so you woke up

(05:57) sorry, i was just angry and needed to talk to you, i guess

(05:58) i feel bad for waking you up now

 **(05:58) nah its cool**

 **(05:58) everything alright?**

(05:59) yeah, just yaomomo being a dork in love and waking up at ungodly hours to cheer her bf-to-be on

 **(05:59) thats actually so cute!**

 **(05:59) you never did thag for me jirou!**

(06:00) i listened to you playing sappy songs

(06:00) that's the epitome of love on a jirou scale, wheyjam

 **(06:01) omg was that you admitting your love for me?!**

(06:01) in your dreams, pikachu

(06:01) go back to sleep

 **(06:01) no can do im up now**

 **(06:02) and i have this song stuck in my head**

(06:02) what song is it?

 **(06:02) no**

(06:02) what?

 **(06:03) youll laugh**

(06:03) oh come on, kaminari! i already know you're a music nerd

 **(06:03) you judge my taste in music all the time**

(06:04) you listen to fall out boy!

 **(06:04) immortals even features in big hero 6!**

(06:04) please don't bring disney movies as valid arguments, yaomomo almost made me watch tangled with her the other day

 **(06:05) and you turned her down?!**

 **(06:05) jirou you need to watch that film!**

 **(06:05) flynn rider is my model in life!**

(06:06) now i'm sure i don't wanna watch it

 **(06:06) :((((**

 **(06:06) speaking of movies**

 **(06:07) theres this new netflix film i want you to watch with me? ^~^**

(06:07) i dread that angel face

(06:07) it's a romance isn't it?

 **(06:08) come ooon, jirou!**

 **(06:08) i watched the exorcist with you! YOU OWE ME!**

(06:09) it's too early for caps

(06:09) and i was gonna say yes anyway

 **(06:09) ...you were?**

(06:10) don't get me wrong, i don't like sappy movies

(06:10) but well it's… not so bad… every once in a while… if you like them…

 **(06:10) OMG**

 **(06:10) I LOVE YOU JIROU!**

(06:11) ugh, get back to sleep

 **(06:11) you really are the best!**

(06:11) yeah yeah, i rock

 **(06:12) was that a pun?**

(06:12) ;)

 **(06:12) i swear youre my soulmate**

 **/**

(07:13) [Photo sent]

(07:13) Good luck today, Todoroki-san!

 _(07:14) Is that a black cat…?_

(07:14) They're seen as luck bringers in British believes, and I know you like subverting expectations and flipping prejudices on their heads so…

 _(07:15) It's perfect. Thank you, Yaoyorozu._

(07:15) Are you… nervous?

(07:15) I don't mean to overstep my boundaries, but I know I for one am a bundle of nerves before contests and if you need to talk to anyone then I'm here.

 _(07:17) Midoriya says I have nerves of steel._

 _(07:17) I've never told him this, but I'm not as confident as I look._

 _(07:18) It's not even about winning or losing. Of course, I go into it intending to win - we all do. You don't even need a reason for it, you just do. You want to be the victor, the one standing on the court to play the next game._

 _(07:19) But what I'm scared of is communicating. Teamwork is vital in volleyball and I'm not the best one at it. I used to be terrible before Midoriya knocked me out of my little bubble of wrath, to be honest._

 _(07:19) Sometimes, I forget to ask how the spikers would like me to set. Sometimes it's just me, the ball and the net, and I forget there are also people having to reach that ball. Sometimes, I forget I'm not alone._

(07:20) But it's only sometimes. And then Midoriya clasps your shoulder, and Bakugou yells at you, and you remember they're always there.

 _(07:20) Yeah._

 _(07:21) And today, you'll be there, too. So I think I'll be fine._

(07:21) I'll send more black cats if you need them!

 _(07:22) I think I just needed to get that off my chest, but I won't stop you from making my day better with cat photos._

(07:22) I'm here anytime, Todoroki-san.

 _(07:23) I know._

 _(07:23) It's one of the few times I actually mean that._

 **Second Period**

 _ **(09:12) ~Deku, you re mumbling~**_

 _ **(09:12) ~You don t need to worry that much about today everyone will be by your side!~**_

 **(09:14) Thanks, Uraraka.**

 **(09:14) But I'm not afraid - if anything, I'm pumped! We don't know anything about Shiketsu, so I needed to use my best resources!**

 _ **(09:15) ~Doesn t Mirio sempai know anything?~**_

 **(09:15) He's keeping his mouth shut to see how we'll react. I think this is his and All Might's test for us, yu know, before the third years graduate and all.**

 **(09:16) And all I gathered from Amajiki-sempai was "scary giants".**

 **(09:16) So I suppose I'll have to do my best against the middle blockers!**

 _ **(09:16) ~I wish I could be there to see you~**_

 **(09:17) It's okay! You have practice with Gunhead, right?! That's a great learning opportunity!**

 _ **(09:17) ~It is, but you know, watching you play would probably motivate me even more~**_

 _ **(09:17) ~So I ll do my best to catch up, Deku!~**_

 **(09:19) You've long since won against me, Uraraka. Or rather, I can't beat you.**

 _ **(09:19) ~What do you mean?~**_

 **(09:19) Nevermind.**

 **(09:21) Hey uhm… if we win, how about we celebrate?**

 _ **(09:21) ~I like the sound of that! Like going to a cafe or something?~**_

 **(09:21) Yes!**

 **(09:22) It's a date then!**

 **(09:22) Wait, not a date like that, I mean it's not a date *date*, it's a figure of speech…**

 _ **(09:22) ~Haha I know Deku~**_

 **(09:22) Oh. Okay.**

 **(09:23) Thanks for lifting my spirits!**

 **(09:23) I'll do my best to bring UA a victory!**

 **Fourth Period**

 **The Bakusquad**

 **Cellophane:** Who's bakugou texting?

 **ElectroBolt:** not me

 **ElectroBolt:** kiri?

 **Red Riot:** I'm just as clueless, man

 **Cellophane:** WAIT

 **Cellophane:** Does that mean?!

 **ElectroBolt:** he texts people other than us?!

 **Explodo McExplode:** You're flooding my notifications bar, you dipshits!

 **Explodo McExplode:** And for your information, I DO have another friends.

 **ElectroBolt:** baku you

 **Cellophane:** Consider us *friends*?!

 **ElectroBolt:** im so touched im crying

 **Red Riot:** Waw Kaminari, do you need a tissue?

 **ElectroBolt:** im just so happyyyyyyy

 **ElectroBolt:** *sniff*

 **Cellophane:** Who actually writes sniff anymore bro?

 **ElectroBolt:** leave me be im having a moment

 **Red Riot:** Who are you texting Bakugou?

 **Explodo McExplode:** None of your fucking business.

 **Cellophane:** Is it a girllllll~~~?

 **Explodo McExplode:** Stop snooping into my phone you idiot!

 **Cellophane:** Aha so it IS a girl!

 **Cellophane:** Who is it~~~?

 **Explodo McExplode:** Oh, fuck off!

 **Cellophane:** Is it uraraka?

 **Explodo McExplode:** Pfft yeah, as if I'd go after Deku's obvious-crush-pseudo-girlfriend.

 **Cellophane:** Is it tsuyu?

 **Red Riot:** Dude she has a boyfriend

 **Cellophane:** I don't judge

 **Explodo McExplode:** I do, fucker!

 **ElectroBolt:** please tell me it isnt jirou

 **Cellophane:** Lol I don't think he's got a deathwish

 **Explodo McExplode:** Fuck no!

 **ElectroBolt:** phew

 **ElectroBolt:** is it ashido?

 **Red Riot:** What?

 **Explodo McExplode:** What?!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Calm down shit for brains, it's not your pseudo-girlfriend either.

 **Cellophane:** So then is it YOUR pseudo-girlfriend, Bakugou?

 **Red Riot:** Is it someone from Shiketsu?

 **Explodo McExplode:** You too, Brutus?

 **ElectroBolt:** ugh historical references are so lame

 **Explodo McExplode:** I'm surprised you didn't think it was a meme.

 **ElectroBolt:** well historical quotes sorta *are* memes

 **Cellophane:** Well Bakugou didn't say no to Kirishima's inquiry

 **Cellophane:** So we can assume it's a yes

 **Explodo McExplode:** Oh for fuck's sake!

 **Explodo McExplode:** It's Shiketsu's Volleyball Team Manager. I'm worming information about their team out of her.

 **Cellophane:** Sureeeee

 **ElectroBolt:** uhummm

 **Explodo McExplode:** I AM!

 **Red Riot:** I thought you guys didn't know the Shiketsu team?

 **Explodo McExplode:** We don't. But I know her because we go to the same tutoring center.

 **ElectroBolt:** *wink wink nudge nudge*

 **Explodo McExplode:** Can you fucking stop that?! The bitch won't even give me info without asking for something in return!

 **Cellophane:** Oh?

 **Explodo McExplode:** Yeah, apparently they're doing this Secret Santa shit and she needs to buy a gift for a guy. Wants my fucking advice on clothes or something.

 **Cellophane:** Oooooh?

 **Explodo McExplode:** Oh just shut your fucking mouth!

 **Red Riot:** Your parents *are* working in the industry, so that makes sense

 **ElectroBolt:** OMG SECRET SANTA!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Beware, the idiot has awaken.

 **ElectroBolt:** how could i forget?! guys we need to do this too!

 **Explodo McExplode:** No fucking way. I'm not wasting my money on you morons.

 **ElectroBolt:** im sure all might will be on my side!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Don't you fucking dare!

 **Red Riot:** I'm not sure the library can save you twice in a row, Kaminari

 **Cellophane:** Chillax bakugou presents aren't the worst thing!

 **Cellophane:** Besides you have a date with this camie girl and she looks pretty hot

 **Explodo McExplode:** How the fuck?!

 **ElectroBolt:** she has a facebook dude!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I'm gonna fucking murder you all one day!

 **ElectroBolt:** we love you too bakuboo

 **Red Riot:** He really does have a deathwish…

 **/**

 **(11:46)***They have good offensive. The teammates all have big builds and they're very receptive blockers, working not only around clues but also on instinct.*****

 **(11:54) How do you know all of that?**

 **(11:55)***Doesn't matter. Just take Half'n'Half and come to the gym after you're done with lunch.*****

 **(11:55) Sure. Thanks, Kacchan!**

 **(11:56)***You better use this info wisely, my fucking reputation is on the line.*****

 **Sixth Period**

(14:13) You need to come with me!

(14:14) excuse me?!

(14:14) Please, Kyouka! I need you to come watch the match with me! I can't go alone, I'd die!

(14:15) no you wouldn't, you drama queen!

(14:15) and besides, i need my beauty sleep because SOMEONE woke me up at insane o'clock

(14:16) PLEASE!

(14:16) I'd do anything, Kyouka!

(14:16) nope

(14:17) my goodness has limits

(14:17) which were breached the moment you woke me up before 7

(14:18) Desert?

(14:18) not even sweets can solve this problem, Yaomomo

(14:18) I'll take cleaning duty back?!

(14:19) Come on, Kyouka, don't be such a meanie!

(14:19) hmm, no cleaning duty *does* sound nice

(14:19) also if i go, i might be able to embarrass you

(14:20) heck, i'm going

(14:20) You are the best best friend ever!

(14:20) yeah yeah

(14:21) stop grinning, i'm only going to take pictures for your wedding

(14:21) Kyouka!

(14:22) hehe

 **After School**

The entrance to Shiketsu High was imposing. It didn't have more flare than UA's golden gates, with their obnoxiously spiky ends barely in sight or the blaring insignia of the school, but the dull grey of Shiketsu obscured the high school premises from sight, the thought of which made Shouto stiffen. He wasn't easily intimidated, but the thought of an unknown team waiting behind that door did make his insides churn.

That, and Yaoyorozu's presence behind the iron gate.

"Yo Half'n'Half, move it!" Bakugou yelled, shoving Shouto ahead, towards their teacher. "We ain't got all day, so stop fucking dawdling!" Turning towards the bus, Bakugou snorted and screamed again, "And you fucker, stop mumbling around and get in formation already!"

"Look who's being the diligent junior!" Mirio noted, earning a glare that barely dampened his gleeful look.

"Gather round, young players!" their coach's powerful voice rang through the air. As they huddled together, he clasped the shoulders of Bakugou and Midoriya, and the rest of them followed the ritual as they rested their hands on the back of the person on their right, ducking their heads and listening.

"Shiketsu is a top school, but we're not here to go easy on them! Your strength doesn't lie in any particular area - you're not a defensive or an offensive-oriented team! No, your strength resides in your versatility, and in your capability to adapt to new situations! And never forget - there are six of you on the court! So let's go plus ultra today!"

"Plus ultra!" the team chimed in for the mantra, and they slapped each other's backs before breaking the circle and lining up in front of the entrance.

As the iron gate squeaked open, they stiffened, watching the tired face which revealed itself behind it. "You sure are a rowdy bunch," the man standing there noted, his eyes barely opened behind a clay of messy hair and a weird scarf-like thing draped around his neck. It only took Shouto a moment to realize this was the Aizawa-sensei Yaoyorozu had told him about. 95% done seemed an understatement now.

"Aizawa!" All Might exclaimed, not at all taken aback by his friend's - the disinterest in the former's face made Shouto wonder whether the two really were former teammates - boisterous appearance.

"Long time no see, Yagi. For a good reason," he added under his breath as he twirled on his heels and led the way without any welcoming wishes or prying questions. Shouto already found himself resonating with the other coach.

The Shiketsu premises were huge, their size comparable to UA's. Shouto took them in with an analytical eye, trying to imagine where the dorms were, and placing Yaoyorozu's stories into their unique settings. It was like days of hearing abstract stories came to life before his eyes - the cafeteria where she and Jirou fought over desert, the dorms they sneaked back into after attending a late-night party.

He had to stop the scenarios when they reached the lockers. "The court we'll be using is right ahead, so get out when you're ready," Aizawa said in his same hohum voice, leaving them to their own devices without further ado.

Shouto took the locker next to Midoriya's and started zipping down his jersey, searching for his volleyball uniform as Midoriya noted, "It's quite impressive, isn't it? Seeing a powerschool like ours up close, I mean. Is this how people visiting UA feel?"

"What, you intimidated, dipshit?" Bakugou sneered before Shouto could respond.

"Cut it off, you two!" Mirio scolded them, pulling his shirt over his head, shamelessly exposing his naked body.

Amajiki threw him his pants and t-shirt, all the while mumbling, "I agree with Midoriya, this school is too radiant."

"Nonsense, my friend! This is the sort of place where brilliant spiker like you can properly shine!"

Shouto had gotten used to his sempai's brooding nature by now, but he still felt the need to say, "I'm going to do my best to get the ball where you need it."

"That's the spirit!" Mirio shot them two thumbs up and then pumped his fist in the air, "Now, let's get this show started!"

 **/**

Momo twirled with the strands of hair escaping her ponytail at the nape of her neck and kept her eyes glued to the door leading to the lockers. Shiketsu's team was already out on the court, doing warm-ups as they listened to Aizawa's quiet instructions.

"Would you relax? You're making me nervous, too!" Kyouka sighed, slouching back in her chair and crossing her legs.

"I can't! I mean, I won't even talk to him until after the match but still," Momo tried - and failed - to make sense.

Kyouka opened her mouth to shoot back another sarcastic remark but just then, the locker room door opened, cutting through her words effectively.

They were wearing the same blue uniform, yet Momo spotted him immediately.

The hair made it easy, but she would have recognized him anywhere anyway. The tight line that set his jaw into a mask of determination. His mismatched eyebrows, engulfed by white and red hair. The way his eyes darted towards the tribunes and settled on her, from all of the people that were gathered to see them play.

She held his gaze, raising a hand to her drumming heart and fisting her fingers around the hem of her blazer. Todoroki Shouto raised a coy hand in salute, and Momo did the same, even as she felt her cheeks burn. He was actually there in the flesh, more than a mere contact name labeling their messages, more than a facebook profile picture.

And Momo had an undeniable crush on him.

A green haired boy with freckles approached Todoroki and followed his gaze to see Momo at the other end of it. Midoriya smiled widely and waved his hand to her, a happy greeting that Momo mirrored, only to see a blond whack both of their heads. The newcomer had spikey blond hair, and his mouth was contorsioned in a sneer - Bakugou, if Momo had to guess.

Todoroki's head snapped around when Bakugou started taking in an angry tone that made his brow furrow - Momo couldn't make out what they were saying, but Todoroki's remark made the blond yell a string of obscenities Momo didn't want to register. He was Bakugou indeed.

Momo felt Kyouka's sharp elbow in her ribcage and ripped her eyes from the boy she had been talking with for almost two weeks. _Two weeks._ It still felt like forever.

"Wow, I wanted to make a snarky comeback but the look on your face is so pure I can't besmirch it," Kyouka said, half in awe and half in mild annoyance.

Momo felt her face get a shade redder, matching the color of Todoroki's hair. When Kyouka raised an eyebrow, Momo steeled herself for the teasing to come. Instead, her friend nonchalantly asked, "So?"

"So what?" Momo blinked.

"Aren't you gonna wish him good luck or something?"

"I already did."

Kyouka rolled her eyes as if she needed to spell everything out for Momo. "Not through messages! Shouldn't one do it in person?"

"But I can't get on the court- oh!" Momo realized what her friend meant and vehemently shook her head, her ponytail swishing through the air as an emphasis for her denial. "I can't do that!"

"Why not? Those girls have no problem yelling their sentiments," Kyouka said, pointing towards a group that held up pancarts wishing for Shiketsu's victory and yelling to get Inasa's attention.

Momo ducked her head. She couldn't just yell like that, it wasn't ladylike, and Todoroki clearly wouldn't have found it impressive either. If anything, he might have been repulsed by such displays.

She peeked at the UA team through her eyelashes, only to find Todoroki's eyes trained on her. The churning of her stomach almost made her feel dizzy, but some sort of force bigger than Momo ushered her get up and grasp the railing so tight her knuckles went white. Todoroki's eyebrows disappeared further into his messy bungs as she took a deep breath and willed herself to do it.

Raising a hand to cup her mouth, Momo tested her voice. "Go-" _Too feeble._ "Go-" _Louder._ With one last greedy intake of air, she managed to yell, "Good luck!" And that was all she had the courage to say before stumbling back into her seat, her ears ringing with the sound of Kyouka's laughter.

Todoroki was so surprised he choked on the water he was drinking, with Bakugou slapping his back angrily and shouting something towards Camie, Shiketsu's team manager. Midoriya raised his eyes to Momo, looking amused as he gave her a thumbs up, but the girl was too ashamed to noticehis encouragement.

"I can't-" Kyouka wheezed, doubling over with laughter. "Girl, you should have gave me a heads-up to record that! So cringeworthy!"

Momo halfheartedly batted Kyouka's teases away, curling into herself with embarrassment. Still, she graced Todoroki with a gaze - and was she imagining it or _were the tips of his ears pink?_

She smiled to herself and slapped Kyouka's arm lightly yet again, settling into her chair to watch Todoroki's warm-up serves.

 **/**

Shiketsu _was_ strong.

Leading with 24 to 23, Shouto could barely say they were having the upper hand in this set. Bakugou's information that they opponents had a good defense was an understatement: they were a wall of iron, looming over the net and intimidating everybody but their team captain. Even Bakugou was mildly off his guessing game, which was a rare occasion - he did have a foul mouth, but his blocking skills were only surpassed by Amajiki's.

The other team's blockers however… _Obnoxious_ was the only word Shouto could find to sum them up. There was their annoyingly overconfident number 5, who fought with class B's Monoma for "The Most Arrogant Bastard" title - and the competition was dire. Then there was their number 8, sporting a beard despite being a first year and blocking with his whole body, his big build terrifying enough to send Midoriya into a mumbling mess.

But perhaps the hardest team member to deal with was Inasa Yoarashi - the team's ace, despite only being a first year himself. Shouto found his loud voice and constant encouragements towards his teammates as genuine as the ones Mirio gave them, yet something about Yoarashi made him uncomfortable. Perhaps because Yoarashi was similar to him in some aspect. He hated that idea, and throttled it into the depths of his mind.

"One touch!" Mirio yelled as he connected with the ball sent Amajiki's way - Shiketsu saw his crumbling self-confidence and kept targeting him. Dirty, yet effective. Shouto hated underhand tactics like that, and yet knew he'd use them himself, if he had to. _Similar._ 'Shut up!'

The ball was nearing him quickly, and he needed to take a quick decision. Bakugou was already at the net, yet he could barely escape their number 5 - setting to him would be a risk they couldn't afford to take. Midoriya was further behind, but Shouto knew he'd be at the net when and _where_ he needed him to be.

And that's exactly why his plan could work.

The moment his eyes lingered on Midoriya for a split second longer than on Bakugou, number 8 rushed into dragging number 5 with him to block the short wing spiker. And that same moment, Shouto jumedfor the ball.

Only to push it over the net in an effective dump.

He heard when the ball hit the floor on Shiketsu's side. He also heard when Yoarashi fell onto the floor in a failed attempt to keep the ball in the air, to prolong the point and tip the balance into their favour before the set finished. He listened to the silence that fell after his scheme, so tense you could cut it with a knife when he glanced at Yoarashi and couldn't keep the corner of his lip from lifting into a smug smirk.

And then the referee gave UA the set, and Bakugou sneered. "What the fuck do you think you're doing, Half'n'Half?!"

Shouto looked at him unfazed, "Winning us points. Something I don't see _you_ doing."

"Do you wanna go, fucker? 'Cause I can take you on right here, right now!"

"Keep that energy for the next set. We're gonna need it," Mirio said, throwing a pensive look towards their opponents, who were already clustering around Aizawa. The seriousness was wiped off in a split second, as the captain threw an arm around Shouto's shoulders and ruffled the setter's hair. "You're quite the show-off, aren't you?"

Shouto batted his sempai off and took the bottle of water Midoriya was holding out for him, but couldn't keep the roots of a smile away from his face. As he uncapped his bottle and chugged down half of its contents, he stole a glance towards the tribunes, where Yaoyorozu was still gripping the railway, looking as if she was on the edge of her seat.

Her eyes were filled with a warm mixture of admiration and excitement, and Shouto felt the sweat around his chin drip as her eyes zeroed in on him, melting into a smile that crinkled the skin at the corner of her eyes, one that played with the sparkles in her eyes in a way he couldn't see from where he was, but that he could imagine just as vividly as he could when they talked on the phone.

So he smiled around his water bottle too, and jogged towards the rest of his teammates. He couldn't wait to play more, but he was even more excited to spend the rest of the afternoon with Yaoyorozu.

 **/**

Momo couldn't rip her eyes from the volleyball match.

It was in the middle of the second set, and the fast movements had her screwed to her chair, raising a hand to muffle a gasp each time a ball almost escaped one team's reach, and blinking blankly as the ball finally dropped onto the hard floor, as if saying "I've had enough of this dance".

One would believe she felt attached to her school's team, but that wasn't necessarily the case. She did care for them - Yoarashi was even her classmate, so it wasn't like she wanted them to lose - but seeing all the effort UA poured into keeping the ball in the air, the strategies they used to adapt to their opponents and the chemistry between them made her root for the guest school.

Maybe she was biased, too.

There was something to be said about watching your crush play, following the arch of his back as he ran up for a serve or his calculative eyes as he set the ball so perfectly, it was as if he was telepathically communicating with each and every of the team members.

At the same time, it was also a matter of the team tuning their wavelengths to Todoroki's. It was in the way Midoriya would run from one corner of the court to the other to evade the middle blockers and reach the ball at its apex; it was in the way Bakugou would grumble yet tell Todoroki exactly when to jump to effectively block out Yoarashi's spikes; it was in the way Mirio clapped their backs after each point, be it a won or lost one.

It felt like a family, and as Momo watched on and chewed on her lower lip to the point where the tang of iron reached her tongue, she began to understand how Todoroki fit in there, how he needed his friends to pull him out of a nightmarish background.

So when UA lost a point that made them stand under Shiketsu's three point lead at 14-17 and Midoriya yelled "Todoroki! The stronger team is the one with the six stronger players!", Momo remembered his texts. Her stomach dropped, and her heart soared.

 **/**

When Mirio yelled "YUS!" and Juzo Honenuki, ther libero, jumped into the air in a victory pose, Shouto still couldn't quite believe it. They'd won. With a synchronised attack and a spike from Amajiki, they finally escaped the douce they had been stuck in until 30-31 during their third set.

"Todoroki!" Midoriya beamed, eyes already welling up with tears as he hold up his fist. Shouto bumped his own fist against his friend's and nodded - _they did it_.

"Young Midoriya! Young Todoroki! Young Bakugou!" a voice bellowed, and iron arms brought the three first-years into a bearhug. Their coach always overreacted, but Shouto couldn't help but feel proud oftheir performance, too - it had been exhausted, and oh so much fun.

The moment All Might eased them out of his iron grip, Mirio dragged them into another team hug. Shouto almost rolled his eyes at his team's dramatics - almost, because despite Mirio's over the top nature and Bakugou's constant curses at "fucking affectionate garbage", this was _his_ team, and his last game with his sempais - and he had loved it.

Shouto was eventually liberated, but he felt chained when he saw Mirio hug Amajiki, the both of them wiping silent tears off their faces. Their last high school match had been a success, and Shouto felt his own eyes water as Midoriya sniffled in front of his mentor.

"You're next," Mirio told Midoriya, and Shouto knew exactly what it meant. The next ace. The next captain, although he was barely a first year. The next person to smile when everything was icrumbling.

Shouto was startled when Amajiki patted his shoulder, effectively stealing his attention. "I'll miss your setting. Hurry up and go professional so you'll set to me again."

Shouto was left gaping after his sempai, the brooding man who only Mirio could drag out of the shadows, the one he so ironically nicknamed Sun Eater, and felt like he was _seeing_ him for the first time.

But then his eyes were drawn to a different sort of sun. He wasn't sure when she got down there or why she was talking to All Might, but Yaoyorozu was _there_ , in her dark blue uniform, and Shouto suddenly sensed everything but dull in intensity.

She noticed him, too, and her hand painted a small bow as form of greeting while the other tucked her loose bang behind her ear. All Might turned around and beckoned Shouto to come over.

"You know Yaoyorozu-san?" Shouto nodded, feeling his throat bob - when had his mouth got this parched? "Then you were in select company, Young Todoroki! Oh, I know! Why doesn't this young lady come have dinner with us!"

Shouto exchanged a glance with Yaoyorozu, both of them raising a dubious eyebrow. "I wouldn't want to bother," Yaoyorozu carefully said.

"Oh, you wouldn't! The more the merrier! Your friend can come to!"

Jirou - since when had she been there? The devilish smile she sent Shouto told him it had been long enough to have gathered some blackmail material on him, and he quietly cursed his lack of awareness of his surroundings - shook her head. "I'd love to come-" she slided another sly and meaningful look in Shouto's direction "-But unfortunately, I can't. I have prior plans."

"Well that's a shame," All Might said, but he quickly turned around to place a hand on Yaoyorozu's shoulder. "You'll grace us with your presence, I hope?"

Yaoyorouz looked again at Shouto, who nodded encouragingly. "Yes," she confirmed with a smile that was more than polite, and now Shouto was close enough to see those sparkles dance in the obsidian pools.

"Wonderful!" All Might clapped his hands! "I'll talk to Aizawa to tell him we'll be borrowing his precious student's time!"

As the teacher strolled towards his sleepy friend - use of this word still not verified, as Shouto noted- Yaoyorozu loosened a sigh. "You weren't exaggerating when you said he was over the top."

"I know, right?" Shouto sighed himself, but as he met Yaoyorozu's eyes and heard her low chuckle, he couldn't help but let his own escape his lips.

"Congratulations are in order," Yaoyorozu said, twinkling with excitement. "I can't say I know much about volleyball, but that was such an intense match! I was holding in a gasp the whole time, wondering what would happen next! Is it always this thrilling?"

Shouto couldn't help but smile at her excitement - it was like she was talking about books all over again, and he almost wished she'd give him an exhaustive description of the match from her perspective, if only to see her pour out a dictionary's worth of words in her enthusiasm.

"I guess so. It's more fun if the other team is strong too, and your school really put up one hell of a fight," he admitted. From the corner of his eyes, he spied Yoarashi's massive build, and quickly added, "Yaoyorozu, I'll be right back."

 **/**

The more time Momo spent around Todoroki, the more her admiration for him grew. After the match, he left to congratulate the other team and talk to Yoarashi, who gave her a message stating, _I like the kid! Can you invite him over more often?!_ which made Momo blush a crazy shade of red.

With Kyouka bailing on her to meet up with Kaminari, Momo found herself walking by Todoroki's side and, out of all possible ways of filling up the silence, striking up a conversation with Bakugou. She couldn't help it: he had an intriguing character!

"So you know Camie?" Momo asked, blowing into her frozen hands and making a mental note of buying a new pair of gloves. She gave her last one to Mina, who always seemed to be losing hers - and her fingers were almost constantly cold as a result.

"You should have told us earlier, Bakugou. Could have helped us prepare better for today," Todoroki noted as well, attracting a very furious glare from Bakugou.

"Oh, fuck off! You'd better tell us what's up with you and Ponytail!"

"My name is Yaoyorozu Mo-" she started explaining, only to be brutally interrupted.

"I fucking got your name the first time! And if I wanna call ya Ponytail, imma call ya Ponytail!" he spat, stuffing his hands deeper in the pockets of his jacket.

Todoroki leaned in to murmur into Momo's ear, "He's always this angry."

"Well, that's not good for his health!" she protested, and then addressed him again, "Bakugou-san, if you keep frowning, you'll get wrinkles! I have this moisturising cream I can lend you if your skin is parched-"

"I'm fucking fine, woman!" he bellowed, but the sound of his rage-filled voice was drawn out by Todoroki's laughter.

"You're something else, Yaoyorozu."

Momo felt the blood coat her cheeks with a veil of rose and buried her face in her muffler, taking the opportunity to ask Midoriya whether he had managed to buy Uraraka a proper present and earning another chuckle from Todoroki as his best friend turned even redder than her and flailed his arms around aimlessly.

All in all, Todoroki's team was nice. By the time they got to the traditional Japanese restaurant and ordered, Momo could tell Mirio was a ball of energy that would grow up to be just as full of love for volleyball as Yagi-sensei, Amajiki was wallowing in self-doubt despite his amazing skills, Bakugou was hiding a caring attitude under a facade of obscenities she didn't care much for repeating, and Midoriya was the sort of little brother whose cheeks you wanted to pinch when he wasn't getting very invested in something -in which cases he would make a find debate partner with his solid arguments.

She could imagine Todoroki practicing with them, fighting with Bakugou over petty things and having Midoriya squeeze 120% out of him. She could also imagine going on more of their matches and supporting his team, and couldn't help but wonder whether she was crossing the line.

As the waiter brought their orders, Momo noticed the cold soba in front of Todoroki and giggled. "You really love that, huh?"

He gave her a serious look and looked like he'd launch into a debate over the greatness of his favourite dish when Midoriya commented, "So much so that he filled an actual complaint when the cafeteria didn't serve it this week."

Momo laughed, but Todoroki's only response was slurping his noodles loudly. The sound was so unpleasant it startled Momo, and she whipped her head to admonish him, "Todoroki-san! That's no way to eat your soba!"

Bakugou choked on his food as he cackled, and Momo shot him a fierce look, "Not that you are respecting the proper etiquette either, Bakuguo-san! For once, that's not the posture for a meal!"

She was too engaged into a stare-down contest with Bakugou to notice the fond way Todoroki smiled at her, or how he exchanged a meaningful look with Midoriya and nodded.

 **/**

Shouto waved goodbye to his coach and teammates, pretending not to notice or care about the allusive looks they were shooting his way. If Yaoyorozu noticed them, she made a good show of not commenting on his friends' nosy antics.

He didn't particularly mind bringing Yaoyorozu to have dinner with the others - if anything, she could deal with Bakugou's outbursts better than he could (he couldn't remember the last time he made Bakugou open his mouth like a fish, so angry for his lack of response that he couldn't even swear). She also had a way of teasing Midoriya that was sewed with good intentions, which elicited truthful answers out of the nervous wreck.

Even so, he was selfish enough to want to have her all to himself. It was why he had offered to walk her back to Shiketsu - that, and genuinely worrying for her wellbeing; he didn't feel comfortable with the idea of her strolling down the dark streets by herself, no matter how strong Shouto knew she was.

With Yaoyorozu, even the silences felt natural, filled only with the sound of her heels against the pavement and the occasional deep exhales that filled the cold winter air with frozen steam, billowing away like smoke. She was walking next to him, close enough that he feels the warmth of another human body, but not so close that their elbows brushed.

"Tonight was fun," she eventually said, tucking that strand of hair behind her ear again.

"It was, and that's in no small part thanks to you. I'd pay to see you interact with Bakugou more," Shouto admitted with a small chuckle that melted into the frozen air, but warmed him up a little.

"He's not a bad person, he just needs to learn how to control himself," Yaoyorozu hummed. "And he needs to widen his vocabulary a little, even his curses are monotonous!"

"So harsh," Shouto noticed with an amused lilt to his voice.

"Maybe I've been around Kyouka for too much," Yaoyorozu laughed quietly, bringing her hands to her face to blow warm air onto the frozen fingertips already turning pink.

Shouto didn't even think much about it. The moment she lowered her hands, he grabbed one of them, weaving his fingers through hers as if he was analyzing how well her hand fit in his. But when her eyes fixed his with a questioning look, he felt his heart thrum uncontrollably and mumbled a pathetic excuse, "You looked cold, so…"

He trailed off at a loss for words, but she smiled widely at him and squeezed his hand back. Her fingers really were frozen, but her touch was feathery, even the bump formed by years of holding a pen between her middle finger and thumb seemingly calculated with an artist's precision.

"Todoroki-san," she started, fixing a far-away point with her scrutinizing gaze, as if she was pondering a plan. When she found no faults with it, she continued, "You're free tomorrow night, right?"

"Yeah?" Shouto wondered where she was going with this.

"Would you- would you like to watch a movie with me?" she said quickly, as if ripping off a bandaid. "You don't have to go out or anything!" she quickly added, as if that was the biggest problem - little did she know Shouto deflated when he realized it wasn't an excuse to see her again. "There's this website called rabbit that helps you sync movies with others and I thought that maybe-"

"I'd love to," Shouto assured her with a small smile.

Yaoyorozu finally looked at him and he felt her relax, a large beam tugging at the corners of her mouth. "What would you like to watch?"

"A Disney movie," he quickly responded.

"That goes without saying! The question is _what_ Disney movie?"

"An old one. I find the animation style soothing," Shouto admitted. "The digital look isn't all that bad, but I'm what you could label as 'old school'."

"In this household, we resent social labels," Yaoyorozu laughed. "Since Christmas is coming, perhaps Mikey's Christmas Carol would be fitting?" she mused.

"Sounds good to me," Shouto said. He omitted the part about anything being good, as long as he watched it with her, partly because he couldn't explain why he felt that way even to himself and partly because those felt like big words.

Having her there made time pass by faster - too fast, given that the gate of Shiketsu High loomed over them as a reminder that their fun had to come to an end eventually. He had a feeling that once he let go of her hand, the temperature would drop and the winter air would whip his face mercilessly, howling through the emptiness her absence would leave.

"Then it's settled," Yaoyorozu said, and her words felt so much like a promise that Shouto felt less empty. He slowly sewed their fingers apart, lingering as much as he could for reasons he himself couldn't pinpoint.

"Tomorrow night," he repeated.

They stood there, facing each other without daring to leave. Yaoyorozu tucked the hair behind her ear again - it was a trademark gesture now, and Shouto loved the way it revealed her eyes. People often said black was boring - obviously those people hadn't ever met her. He was certain he could spend a small eternity looking at those eyes and would always discover new hidden truths, could uncover fifteen years of her life like an archeologist.

He didn't want to leave, but he knew he had to. Maybe he would have even taken a step towards the bus station if Yaoyorozu hadn't suddenly wrapped her arms around him to pull him in a clumsy embrace and shakily said, "I owed you a hug." Shouto blinked, confused, but then he remembered their last phone call and he looped his own arms around her waist, resting his head in the crook of her neck.

She smelt nice, like feminine perfume and lavender conditioner, and her presence just gained another aspect that Shouto would crave without being able to recreate. "Tomorrow," she whispered in his ear, before breaking free and hurriedly pushing open the gate to launch into a run towards her dorm room.

Puzzled and mildly disappointed that the moment only lasted a few seconds, Shouto watched her retreating form as the gate closed, and wondered whether that was what their relationship was going to be like. A series of promises of "tomorrow"s and a 'togetherness' to look forward too, as he added more pieces to the Yaoyorozu-puzzle.

It didn't seem like a bad deal.

* * *

AN: Hey guys!

I hope you enjoyed this piece~ Todmomo being dorks is my absolute fave thing but at the same time I'm a sucker for good friendships like bakumomo and todo and his teammates. Also, all of my volleyball knowledge comes from Haikyuu and wikipedia, so I hope those little segments were fun!  
Anyway guys, it's past midnight here, so excuse any mistakes on my part. If you point them out, I'll try to fix them tomorrow! Thanks for sticking with me till now, it means the world to me!


	13. Chapter 13

**AN:** In which Midoriya freaks out about his date, Shouto starts considering what dates actually mean, and Disney movies come to the forefront again (definitely not because the author is a dork, oh no, it was necessary to the plot of course).

Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shouto  
Underlined is Jirou  
 **Bold underlined** is Kaminari  
 **~Bold italics~** is Uraraka

* * *

 **13\. Movies and Dates (And Movie Dates Because Those are Frankly the Best)**

* * *

 **Friday, 17th December**

 **Friday Morning**

 _(07:23) It feels so weird to go to school later._

 _(07:23) I still woke up at 5:30, even without my alarm clock, and Eri was very confused as to why I was still home. She was glancing at the clock as if I was going to be late somewhere._

(07:25) That's adorable!

(07:25) Well, if you asked Kyouka, waking up early is the truly weird thing. She is *not* happy about being woken up, yet she goes to bed very late. How does that work?

 _(07:26) Don't ask me, Jirou seems like a mystery._

 _(07:26) Speaking of mysteries, Midoriya somehow asked Uraraka out, and now he's freaking out about it._

(07:26) He did what?!

 _(07:27) My reaction exactly._

 _(07:27) He asked her to celebrate with him if we won, which I guess we did so now he's taking her out for a coffee after school._

(07:27) Good for him!

 _(07:28) And bad for me, because he keeps asking me questions as if I obtained a licence in dating overnight._

(07:28) What is he worried about? He doesn't even have to choose an outfit because he can wear the school uniform.

 _(07:28) Thank God for that, I don't think I would have made it through two hours of "red or blue RED OR BLUE?!"_

 _(07:29) But he's worried about where to take her._

(07:29) Oh, that's easy! There's this beautiful place called A Cup of Magic right in front of UA University, which isn't too far from the school! I go there all the time when I need a good decaf drink or just to let my hair down with Jirou and Ashido.

 _(07:34) Yaoyorozu, this is Midoriya. I've scouted the place (online pictures and google maps be blessed) and thank you! It *is* perfect!_

 _(07:34) I promise to make it up to you somehow!_

(07:35) It's my pleasure! I hope you and Uraraka have a pleasant date!

 _(07:35) I know Todoroki calls it a date, but both parties have to see it as such for this to be one!_

(07:35) Midoriya-san, you are aware she wouldn't have said yes to going out with just you unless she wanted it to be a date, right?

(07:37) Midoriya-san?

 _(07:37) I think he short circuited._

(07:37) I'm sorry, but it was the truth!

(07:38) Oh and please tell him to look her in the eye when he's talking to her! Otherwise, she'd feel like he's avoiding her.

 _(07:38) He has been informed and is jotting it down._

 _(07:40) You really do know a lot, huh?_

(07:44) No no no, that isn't the case! I know all of this simply because Ashido is obsessed with romance and korean dramas, and she made us watch some of those.

(07:44) Also because she kept bugging Kyouka with 'tips' and I happened to overhear.

 _(07:45) Oh, that wasn't an insinuation._

(07:45) Ah, sorry!

 _(07:45) You apologized._

 _(07:48) Though I must admit I am surprised. You *are* quite amazing._

(07:49) I'm flattered you think so highly of me.

(07:49) I just… I guess I was never as outgoing as Ashido or anything. The first personal thing I told you, after all, was that I like reading more than partying.

(07:49) So I suppose I'm no one's object of affection with such a bland personality.

 _(07:50) I beg to disagree. Yaoyorozu, I've never met someone I had deep discussions with without knowing their name. That goes to show more about personality than moving along to loud music._

 _(07:51) And besides, you love Disney, which is pretty much guaranteed to win you brownie points._

(07:51) Thank you. For the longest time, I didn't have people to share certain things with, but talking with you feels so easy. I never had to hide something I loved, or to pretend I'm someone I'm not.

 _(07:52) The same goes for me. Only Midoriya knows… about the story behind the scar._

(07:54) You're more than your name and looks, Todoroki-san. I'm not going to pretend I know - I don't, really - what you've gone through. But I-I want to know, and maybe that's selfish.

(07:54) I'll always be willing to let you talk about it, and equally okay with spending silent moments together. With you, that's somehow comforting.

 _(07:55) You stole the words right out of my mouth._

 _(07:55) And Yaoyorozu?_

(07:55) Yes?

 _(07:56) You're also more than your name. Whatever path you choose, I know you'll excel at what you do. And you're more than your looks too, no matter how many perverts you meet._

 _(07:57) By the way, has he been bothering you lately?_

(07:57) I've had something to take my mind off that.

 _(07:58) Is that so? I'm glad._

(07:58) Ah, I have to go to class. Movie tonight?

 _(07:58) I wouldn't miss it._

 **Second period**

 **My Nosy Friends**

 **Uraraka:** Soooo?

 **Todoroki:** So what?

 **Uraraka:** You know what!

 **Todoroki:** Do I?

 **Uraraka:** Ughh, you re so infuriating!

 **Iida:** I think Uraraka-kun means to ask you how yesterday played out.

 **Iida:** Which I'm quite curious about myself.

 **Todoroki:** Fine.

 **Uraraka:** Just "fine"?

 **Midoriya:** I can tell you it was great.

 **Todoroki:** These are the times when I wish we had a friendship contract too, Midoriya.

 **Uraraka:** So what did you do?

 **Todoroki:** She had dinner with us.

 **Uraraka:** You took her to dinner. With Bakugou there. On your first date?!

 **Uraraka:** Todoroki you need lessons

 **Todoroki:** It wasn't a date.

 **Iida:** Did she have fun?

 **Todoroki:** I think so.

 **Midoriya:** She actually talked back to Kacchan. Told him he didn't have a proper posture while eating and somehow cornered him into not swearing for the rest of the night.

 **Uraraka:** OMG SHE'S A QUEEN!

 **Uraraka:** Now I can t wait to meet her!

 **Todoroki:** You guys really like her.

 **Iida:** She sounds like an enchanting lady. And besides, Todoroki, she's a precious friend to you, and that alone is enough to make us like her.

 **Uraraka:** Plus she can like you know stand up to Bakugou

 **Midoriya:** She called Todoroki out on slurping too.

 **Iida:** Uraraka-kun?!

 **Midoriya:** Aaaand we lost her to giggles.

 **Todoroki:** Nobody but Fuyumi-nee told me that before. It was pretty refreshing.

 **Iida:** A positive influence indeed, your slurping habits are rather extreme, Todoroki.

 **Todoroki:** Says the man of hand gestures.

 **Todoroki:** Uraraka is the only one here who doesn't have any weird mannerisms and thus is entitled to criticise us.

 **Midoriya:** She has the no-pinkies-touching thing though.

 **Todoroki:** Point.

 **Uraraka:** Hey!

 **Midoriya:** I didn't mean it as something bad! If anything, it's cute!

 **Todoroki:** And here come the mumbles.

 **Iida:** Then how about Yaoyorozu-kun? What is her "quirk"?

 **Todoroki:** She apologizes too much. And she rambles when she's really excited about something. Her eyes light up to, and she bounces on the soles of her feet with enthusiasm.

 **Uraraka:** How attentive of you Todo

 **Todoroki:** You've been spending too much time with Kaminari. That nickname isn't appreciated.

 **Uraraka:** It s catchy and I like it

 **Iida:** Speaking of Kaminari-kun, what do you think about his "Secret Santa" proposal? I personally think it would be a perfect way of deepening our bonds!

 **Midoriya:** I think it could be fun.

 **Todoroki:** I hate shopping.

 **Uraraka:** But your last shopping trip turned out unexpectedly good ;)

 **Todoroki:** I can't argue with that.

 **Uraraka:** OMG HE AGREES!

 **Midoriya:** Ashido's personality is rubbing off her now…

 **Uraraka:** But I think they d make a cute couple!

 **Todoroki:** You don't even know her.

 **Uraraka:** She makes you smile at your phone that s all I really need to know

 **Iida:** Uraraka-kun does have a point.

 **Todoroki:** And that's why I renamed the group.

 **Todoroki:** Since when did you guys become so sappy?

 **Midoriya:** Can you deny what Uraraka said?

 **Todoroki:** I wasn't trying to. She does make me happy.

 **Todoroki:** And we'll be watching a movie tonight.

 **Uraraka:** If it s horror you can hold her hand!

 **Todoroki:** It's Disney, and we're watching it from home. There's this app that syncs movies from different devices.

 **Uraraka:** Ohhh :(

 **Midoriya:** Have fun, Todoroki!

 **Iida:** Text us afterwards?

 **Todoroki:** You guys really are invested in this, huh?

 **Uraraka:** Ngl I am. This is so cute it gets me through the before-holidays depression  
 **Uraraka:** You know that feeling when you want the holidays to come faster so you can sleeeep but you also know you ll miss your friends? That

 **Midoriya:** It will only be two weeks!

 **Uraraka:** Too short yet too long at the same time

 **Iida:** But before that, there's the party! Let's channel our positive energy towards it!

 **Uraraka:** Especially Todo *wink wink nudge nudge*

 **Uraraka:** How rude don t just turn your phone off!

 **Fourth Period**

 **(11:04) genius ideas are simply discarded by todays society**

(11:06) are you here for your appointment with dr jirou? because she's out of the office at the moment

 **(11:06) oh come on jirou im serious here!**

(11:07) is bakugou ignoring you again?

 **(11:07) hes ignoring everyone because hes texting a giiiiiirl~**

(11:07) oh. that's new.

 **(11:08) and its from shiketsu**

(11:08) double oh.

 **(11:08) ikr?!**

 **(11:08) should i let you guess?**

(11:09) my research server is coming blank

(11:09) enlighten me

 **(11:09) camie utsushimi**

(11:09) the volleyball club's manager?

 **(11:09) so he says**

(11:10) triple oh.

(11:10) is it a trend now? getting a gf from shiketsu? or ar we just that irresistible?

 **(11:10) i would have dated you no matter where you studied**

(11:12) it wasn't a pretext to hear you say cheesy stuff, pikachu

(11:12) then again, you wouldn't be you if you didn't

 **(11:12) heh**

 **(11:13) anyway that wasnt why i was texting you**

 **(11:13) i proposed secret santa and the guys DONT APPRECIATE IT**

(11:13) i'm shook

(11:13) they don't want to waste their weekend being trampled in overly crowded shopping centers for something they don't care

(11:13) just waw

 **(11:14) this is betrayal jirou. BETRAYAL**

 **(11:14) i thought at least my lovely girlfriend would support me but clearly i was wrong**

(11:15) sorry to break it to you kaminari, but not everybody is as hyped as you and yaomomo for christmas shopping

 **(11:15) AND ITS A TRAVESTY!**

(11:15) no, a travesty was me watching to all the boys i've loved before with you

(11:16) it was so cheesy! ahhh it's still stuck in my head!

 **(11:16) adorable is the word you're looking for!**

 **(11:16) come on! that was such a cute couple!**

(11:17) bleh, too much drama

 **(11:17) you shushed me at the end because you were almost squealing too!**

(11:17) was not!

 **(11:18) were TOO!**

 **(11:18) damn i cant wait for the sequel! youre watching it with me right?!**

(11:18) the things i do for you, kaminari, are very illogical in retrospect

 **(11:18) its called love jirou**

 **(11:19) speaking of love, how was the todomomo date?**

(11:19) yaomomo was hiding her blushing face in the pillow when i arrived, so i'd say it was good

(11:20) she told me they're watching a movie via rabbit tonight, but i know she's still hiding something because she keeps blushing when i ask her

 **(11:20) do your best to uncover this mystery detective jirou!**

(11:20) when did i switch from psychologist to private investigator?!

 **Lunch Break**

 _ **(13:03) ~Bakugou s smile is much more ennerving than his usual I ll-murder-you face~**_

 **(13:04) if thats a subtle way of asking for information uraraka im sorry to say i have nothing**

 **(13:04) i tried peeking into his phone and he slapped the back of my head**

 _ **(13:05) ~:((~**_

 **(13:05) but i do know yaomomos busy tonight so we have practice**

 _ **(13:05) ~I'll be there~**_

 **(13:06) thanks. let the others know too**

 **/**

(13:14) yaomomo, you're almost spilling your soup, girl

(13:14) what's wrong? you're never this clumsy!

(13:17) it has something to do with yesterday, doesn't it?

(13:17) I'm really digging my own grave.

(13:17) why?

(13:18) I *hugged* him, Kyouka!

(13:18) so? did he hug you back?

(13:19) … Yes.

(13:19) why am i underage i wanna drink to this

(13:19) Kyouka!

(13:20) This isn't good for my heart! He's acting so… This morning too, he sent the sweetest texts but it's like it wasn't a big deal.

(13:20) Ahhh, I'm not making any sense, am I?

(13:20) like he does it with everyone?

(13:20) No!

(13:21) like he likes you?

(13:21) Maybe? And like that's normal.

(13:21) to be fair, it kinda is

(13:21) Agh!

(13:23) you know, kaminari was the same

(13:23) he'd say these things that made me an incoherent mess like they were absolutely trivial

(13:23) and they really were for him, because he genuinely believed them

(13:24) whatever he said, i don't think todoroki was *just saying*

(13:27) Maybe you're right.

(13:27) of course i'm right, i'm dr jirou afterall.

(13:27) detective now too, seeing as you told me about the hug

(13:27) Kyouka! Don't take pictures!

(13:28) sorry girl, your baffled face is priceless

 **/**

(13:26) detective jirou reporting: it was a hug

 **(13:28) wksmsnkmslzmwl OH MY GOSH!**

(13:28) hold your horses, ashido 2.0

 **(13:29) but jirou! A HUG!**

 **(13:29) i only hugged you like half an year after i met you!**

(13:29) because we were a normal couple

(13:30) these two are the type that would get 100% in compatibility tests, they're obviously soulmates and we should not try to compete with them

 **(13:30) ahhhhh i need to start a journal to jot down the milestones in the todomomo relationship!**

(13:31) do you want a medal for #1 fan too?

 **(13:31) i wouldnt mind**

 **Sixth Period**

 **The Bakusquad**

 **Explodo McExplode:** I can't fucking believe we're fucking doing that Secret fucking Santa thing!

 **Tapeman:** Waw that's a lot of fucks given

 **Explodo McExplode:** I'm gonna have to freaking go shopping for the blond shit for brains.

 **ElectroBolt:** dude! i cant unsee that! you totally ruined it

 **Tapeman:** The point of secret santa is that it has to be a *secret* who you're buying presents to bakuboo

 **Explodo McExplode:** You call me that one more time and I'll be giving Kaminari your dead body for Christmas!

 **ElectroBolt:** ew no if im gonna get a dead body i want someone cooler like kirishima

 **Red Riot:** Man?

 **Tapeman:** Are you insinuating my dead body is not good enough for you?

 **ElectroBolt:** im not insinuating im outright saying it

 **Red Riot:** GUYS?!

 **Red Riot:** I don't want to be dead for christmas!

 **Tapeman:** I can't believe kaminari would rather have you dead than me, kirishima

 **Red Riot:** When you say it like that it really doesn't sound flattering

 **Explodo McExplode:** It's official, you're fucking insane.

 **ElectroBolt:** you started this in the FirSt pLaCe

 **Red Riot:** Enough!

 **Red Riot:** Nobody is giving anybody dead bodies

 **Red Riot:** Although I don't know what to get Tsuyu

 **ElectroBolt:** stop divulging secrets!

 **Red Riot:** It's fine as long as she doesn't find out right?

 **Tapeman:** How about we go out this weekend? Cause i gotta get iida something and aside from glasses nothing fits his image

 **ElectroBolt:** sero i thought you knew what secret meant bro!

 **Tapeman:** When in rome do as romans do

 **Tapeman:** So are we going shopping together or what?

 **Red Riot:** Sure man

 **ElectroBolt:** despite being greatly offended by your atrocious skills at keeping secrets

 **ElectroBolt:** i suppose i have no choice

 **ElectroBolt:** lest you mess something else up

 **Tapeman:** Bakugou?

 **Explodo McExplode:** I'm busy.

 **Tapeman:** Oooh~ busy with Camie~~?

 **Explodo McExplode:** Yes, now will you fuck off?!

 **Red Riot:** Manly!

 **Tapeman:** Never thought Bakugou would be the first one with a date among us

 **ElectroBolt:** hey!

 **Tapeman:** Oh damn

 **Tapeman:** Kaminari being the first one is even scarier

 **ElectroBolt:** HEY!

 **Tapeman:** YOU'RE THE ONE WHO DOESN'T WANT MY DEAD BODY!

 **Red Riot:** This makes no sense whatsoever

 **Explodo McExplode:** Never thought the day would come when Camie would seem more sane than the rest of you lot.

 **/**

 _(16:34) You'll never guess who I got for Secret Santa._

(16:38) Bakugou?

 _(16:38) No._

(16:38) Midoriya?

 _(16:38) Try harder._

(16:39) Uhm, Iida?

 _(16:39) Uraraka._

(16:39) Oh.

 _(16:40) Exactly. Should I trade with Midoriya?_

(16:40) Isn't that against the rules? Besides, I think it's more meaningful if he gets her a present without having to.

 _(16:42) You make a good point._

 _(16:42) Anyhow, given how much he's sweating, he probably has to buy Bakugou a present, and I really don't want to trade for that._

(16:43) He's not *that* bad.

 _(16:43) Yet he'd burn my gift without a second thought._

(16:43) Right, he did have a knack for playing with fire, didn't he?

(16:43) You already bought a muffler for Uraraka anyway, didn't you?

 _(16:44) The pink one, yes. Thanks for that._

(16:44) No problem!

 _(16:45) Could I ask for your help again?_

(16:45) It would be my pleasure!

 _(16:45) I'll take you up on that._

 **After school**

(18:23) I managed to regain my rights as a Scrabble player.

 _(18:25) Oh?_

(18:26) We had a real cheater among us.

 _(18:26) You mean like using a dictionary?_

(18:26) Mhm. Kyouka found it last week while cleaning.

 _(18:27) Why would someone cheat at Scrabble?_

(18:27) We play competitive Scrabble, betting on something for each round. Last week it was Ashido's turn to suggest a prize, and she went for copying homework for the entire week.

 _(18:28) So *that's* why she kicked you out. So you wouldn't win._

(18:28) Yes!

(18:29) This week, it was Mineta's turn. I really don't want to know what he would have proposed… and why he wanted to win so badly.

 _(18:29) He better not dare touch you._

(18:29) Oh don't worry, he didn't. We realized he was the cheater when he couldn't find his dictionary in English today, and Ashido got really mad at him.

(18:30) She's really scary when she's angry. She banned him from playing for the rest of the year.

 _(18:30) I'm glad you're fine._

 _(18:31) When are you going back to beating everyone at Scrabble?_

(18:31) Supposedly tonight, but I'd rather watch a movie with you, so I'll ask the girls to postpone the round.

 _(18:31) But you love Scrabble, don't you?_

(18:32) I love Disney more. Besides, it's not every day that I get to watch a movie with you.

 _(18:32) I'm on the bus. I'll text you when I get home?_

(18:32) Yes.

 **/**

 _(19:14) I'm ready._

(19:14) Perfect, let me just grab my laptop.

 **/**

(21:45) I can't believe we watched 101 Dalmatians too!

 _(21:46) The first film was short._

 _(21:46) Besides, Pongo is indeed a man's best friend._

(21:46) I agree. This was actually the movie that made me beg Mother for a dalmatian.

 _(21:47) Too bad I saw The Aristocats first._

(21:47) Ah, I really missed having someone to discuss these movies with! I used to do it with Mother - she's an avid fan - until I was suddenly deemed "too old" for such childish movies.

 _(21:48) Nonsense! As Walt Disney himself said, "Adults are only kids grown up."_

(21:48) Don't forget the memorable "That's the trouble with the world: too many grow up. They forget."

(21:48) As a child, Disney was the first man I consciously admired. If someone asked me to name a role model, I brought him up.

 _(21:49) I was envious of Disney._

(21:49) How so?

 _(21:51) His films were always marketed as "family films". He was a family man, and his movies depicted such beautiful and loving families. When nothing worked anymore, one could always fall back on his loved ones. Hercules was even twisted around so Zeus would be a good father figure._

(21:51) Ah.

(21:52) One day, you'll start a family like that for yourself, Todoroki-san. One that adopts 101 dalmatians and reads bedtime stories about treasure planets to their kids.

 _(21:52) Fuyumi-nee used to tell me the same thing._

 _(21:53) I remember she bought me a Simba plushie for my seventh birthday (it was my favourite movie until I saw Tangled). I think that was the first time I thought "presents are nice."_

(21:53) You don't like presents?

 _(21:54) I don't hate them, but I'm not particularly fond of them either. I feel like things bought by money don't have that much value, and it's a cheap excuse. It's like saying "I forgot about your existence but hey, New Yorker didn't!"_

(21:55) That's a bit harsh.

(21:55) It's not about whether they are handmade or bought, but how much thought went into them. A good present is one that has a story behind it, reflecting a deep bond.

(21:56) For instance, Kyouka gave me a CD of her favourite songs and one of my favourite classical music on my birthday, even though she's not a big fan of the latter.

 _(21:58) That… makes sense._

 _(21:58) Is that what Fuyumi-nee means when she says to "pour love" into presents?_

(21:58) Probably!

 _(22:02) I know what to get Uraraka now._

 _(22:02) Thank you, Yaoyorozu!_

(22:03) You keep thanking me, but change comes from inside, Todoroki-san.

 _(22:03) Catalysers are necessary, however._

(22:04) Stubborn as always.

(22:04) Nevertheless, I must thank you too. I had a lot of fun tonight! Discussing good villains and colour symbolism in Cruella's character design was a blast!

 _(22:05) I had fun too._

 _(22:05) We should do this again._

(22:06) I'd love too!

 _(22:06) Next time though, let's do it in person. Let's go to the cinema._

 **My Nosy Friends**

 **Todoroki:** I think I found my Perdita.

 **Uraraka:** That s a nerdy reference we won t get right?

 **Todoroki:** You know how I feel about social constructs such as "nerd".

 **Uraraka:** Yeah yeah tell us what you mean!

 **Todoroki:** I think I asked Yaoyorozu on a date.

 **Uraraka:** OMG OMG OMGGGG Deku Iida you gotta see this we have development on the Todomomo front!

 **Iida:** What?! Another date?! My friends are finding happiness!

 **Todoroki:** Yesterday wasn't a date. At least, I don't believe so.

 **Iida:** Oh no, I meant Midoriya and Uraraka-kun's date from today.

 **Midoriya:** Iida!

 **Midoriya:** And Todoroki, I'm so happy for you!

 **Todoroki:** How was the coffee shop today?

 **Uraraka:** Yaoyorozu has really good taste, it was fabulous! The sweets there are delightful.

 **Uraraka:** Maybe you should take her there, Todoroki?

 **Todoroki:** I see you trying to change the subject and I'm not impressed.

 **Todoroki:** Well since you don't look like you want to tell us how today went for you, listen here. listen here. I want to do something special for Yaoyorozu. Will you guys help me?

* * *

AN: Hello!

As promised, I'm back with a new chapter! Shouto is finally on the same wavelength as Momo, and Izuocha is developing too! More about the latter in the next chapter (they're freaking out with delay lol)  
Anyhow, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for all the love - I'm honestly overwhelmed like waw. This fic grew from a crack fic to something much more important to me! Thanks guys, and till next time with our favourite dorks~


	14. Chapter 14

**AN:** In which Midoriya accepts it's a date, Jirou is dragged to the mall to stalk Bakugou, and Todomomo decide to take things at their own pace.

Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shouto  
Underlined is Jirou  
Bold is **Midoriya**  
Bold underlined is **Kaminari**  
~Bold italics~ is **~Uraraka~**

* * *

 **14\. Stalking and True Friendship (Just the Bakusquad Being… Well, the Bakusquad)**

* * *

 **Saturday, 18th December**

 **Saturday Morning**

 **(09:13) Todoroki? Are you awake?**

 _(09:16) Yes, I was actually helping Fuyumi-nee with the dishes. Did something happen?_

 **(09:17) I've just realized I went on a date with Uraraka.**

 _(09:17) So this is what delayed revelations are._

 **(09:18) Very funny, Todoroki.**

 **(09:18) Perhaps it seems evident to you, seeing as you have been teasing me since the start of our friendship, but I am continuously baffled by the fact that I actually. Went. On a date. With Uraraka.**

 _(09:19) So you admit to her being your crush now?_

 **(09:19) I suppose… that'd be the correct term to use?**

 _(09:19) Do you feel like this gets between you and your goals?_

 **(09:20) I'm not going to lie, Todoroki. When you first started talking about Yaoyorozu, I told you not to let it get between you and your real life. And maybe that's how I felt about love in general, for a very long time.**

 **(09:20) But then seeing you so happy and enjoying the little things - maybe you took my advice much better than I took it myself. And it's ugly, but I can't say I wasn't jealous of you in the least.**

 _(09:21) I always thought you were avoiding confronting your feelings for Uraraka because you were both so focused on your future_

 **(09:21) I honestly thought that as well.**

 **(09:22) Until I saw you these past few days, working harder than you have ever before, all the while still talking to her, and I figured that it was possible. Being fulfilled in more ways than one.**

 _(09:22) I'm glad you're finally honest with yourself._

 _(09:23) But does this new, deeper self you've adopted mean that I don't get to see flustered Midoriya anymore? Because I'm not going to lie, that *was* a delight._

 **(09:23) What kind of best friend are you?**

 _(09:23) I'm very tempted to say "the best kind" but I have an inkling that's not the answer you're looking for._

 **(09:24) My my, how observant of you.**

 _(09:24) Was that an Iida impersonation?_

 **(09:24) Too obvious, huh?**

 _(09:24) You need to up your game, Midoriya. You have only nailed the All Might impersonation up to now. I am utterly disappointed._

 _(09:25) Speaking of impersonations, can you do an Uraraka one?_

 **(09:25) Is this your not-so-subtle way of asking how my date went?**

 _(09:25) My my, how observant of you._

 **(09:26) Nothing out of the ordinary happened. We ordered hot chocolate (it was really good, they call it Molten Enigma and it *feels* just like the name suggests, although I can't properly explain it) and we talked.**

 **(09:26) Uraraka told me more about her family and why she got into volleyball. I told her about the "All Might's secret love child" theory and she laughed.**

 _(09:27) So what you're telling me is that on your first date ever, you told Uraraka about *my* theory? Really?_

 **(09:27) Well I also told her about the hand crusher?**

 _(09:28) Look Midoriya, I may not be very well versed in this dating thing, but I'm pretty sure you *don't* spend the first date exposing your best friend._

 **(09:28) It's not like she doesn't know you!**

 _(09:28) That's precisely the problem._

 _(09:29) I'll never hear the end of it now… As if Yaoyorozu didn't laugh enough about the hand crusher theory._

 **(09:29) Well it *is* funny.**

 **(09:30) If it makes you feel better, we also talked about the value of family and what "valid" motivations are.**

 **(09:30) The "hand crusher" was just a good ice breaker.**

 _(09:30) If that was supposed to be a pun, it isn't appreciated._

 _(09:31) Still, I'm glad you found common ground. Being able to jump from trivial to serious topics over the course of the same conversation is maybe the most important thing in a relationship._

 **(09:31) Are you talking from experience?**

 _(09:32) You're not going to let that go, huh?_

 **(09:32) "It wasn't a date" *proceeds to ask her out on a date the same day***

 _(09:33) I couldn't help it. We were just talking (and let me just say she has a very keen eye and can spend ten full minutes analysing the social hierarchy the among animals in 101 Dalmations) and it hit me that I didn't want to just read her replies, but to actually see her eyes light up with excitement._

 _(09:34) So I asked her to the movies, and then I reread my message and realized that was a date. End of story._

 **(09:34) Note to self: Todoroki's type is a woman who can analyse Disney movies to the most minute detail.**

 _(09:35) I think my type is simply Yaoyorozu. I don't only like her for her analytical skills (although I won't lie, those do work in her favour)._

 **(09:35) Is this what they call smooth?**

 _(09:35) What do you mean?_

 **(09:36) Oblivious smooth!**

 _(09:36) I think you are getting the wrong person. You are obviously the definition of oblivious, Midoriya. Your face is in the dictionary and everything._

 **(09:37) I want to argue, but I just realized you met Yaoyorozu two weeks ago and opened up to her faster than you did to me.**

 _(09:37) … Sorry?_

 **(09:38) Don't apologize. I'm happy for you!**

 _(09:38) I am happy for you too, Midoriya._

 **(09:39) Does that mean you'll go out with me to buy gifts for Secret Santa?**

 _(09:39) And my happiness has been destroyed._

 **/**

 _ **(10:56) ~Is this what epiphanies are?~**_

 _(10:58) Let me guess, you just realized you went on a date with Midoriya._

 _ **(10:58) ~Gasp! Mind reader!~**_

 _(10:58) Or, you know, maybe you're just that oblivious._

 _ **(10:58) ~Firstly RUDE~**_

 _ **(10:59) ~And secondly wksmzlamlzmwlzmwkzbskdbe~**_

 _(10:59) And the reason why you decided I should be the one to receive this incomprehensible keyboard smashing is…_

 _ **(11:01) ~Because my best friend is also my crush so I obviously can't discuss it with him~**_

 _(11:01) You are conveniently excluding Asui out of this equation._

 _ **(11:01) ~You obviously have no idea how scary girls can be~**_

 _(11:02) So you'd rather I teased you than her._

 _ **(11:02) ~Believe me Todoroki your teasing is a love letter compared to her sharp tongue~**_

 _ **(11:03) ~Besides we ignored Midoriya and Iida together for half a day we obviously had a soul bonding moment~**_

 _(11:03) You make a fair point._

 _(11:03) So, what brought this about?_

 _ **(11:04) ~I dunno~**_

 _ **(11:04) ~I just woke up today and realized that yes. Yesterday felt like a date~**_

 _ **(11:05) ~And not because it was romantic or anything in particular~**_

 _ **(11:05) ~But it felt… it felt nice. Like for the first time ever I wasn t wondering does he like me? Am I a burden to him? I wasn t feeling like I was watching his back further and further away from me mindlessly following him either~**_

 _ **(11:06) ~It was like we were on the same page. And like we both knew that~**_

 _ **(11:08) ~Does that even make sense?~**_

 _(11:08) I think it doesn't have to make sense to me as long as it makes sense to you two. You only really need this relationship to work for you, not for the others._

 _ **(11:09) ~Yeah~**_

 _(11:09) You seem anxious._

 _ **(11:12) ~It s just… what comes next? Like we went out and had fun so are we gonna keep doing it? Do we have to talk this through? Are we going back to awkward silences now?~**_

 _(11:12) You won't really know until you meet him on Monday, right?_

 _ **(11:13) ~Can t I just get suddenly sick please?~**_

 _(11:13) You know avoiding him changes nothing. Just talk to him and save yourself (and us) the awkwardness._

 _ **(11:14) ~I guess… thanks Todoroki~**_

 _(11:14) Anytime._

 **/**

(11:21) girl? where are you?

(11:24) Oh Kyouka, you finally woke up!

(11:24) I'm home.

(11:26) home as in your mansion? why are you there?! did your parents suddenly summon you?

(11:26) You talk about my family dinners as if they're some sort of ritual.

(11:26) well, they sorta are. you have that hugeass dining table where you can't even *see* the person on the other end without squinting!

(11:27) and with all the security there it's like entering another dimension

(11:27) omg i got it! is it black magic?! is that why you're good at chem?!

(11:27) No, it isn't, and no, they did not "summon" me.

(11:27) I just came back to look for something.

(11:28) you could've told me you were leaving you know?

(11:28) I broke the contract once this week and felt your ire (my arm really hurt for the record, your sleepy kicks are pretty powerful). I wasn't prepared to do it twice.

(11:29) Besides, I left a note.

(11:29) "i had something to do. i'll probably be back by the time you're up. love, momo" is very vague

(11:29) In my defense, I was certain you'll be sleeping until noon, how late you came back yesterday.

(11:30) Where were you even?

(11:30) you know that sky trip i'm going on with kaminari and his folks?

(11:30) The one you were so anxious about that you needed to raid the Pringles stash? How could I forget?

(11:31) it wasn't *that* bad

(11:31) well. once i found out the rest of the squad was coming too

(11:31) anyway, we talked about it yesterday. I had to stop him from choosing only cheesy love songs on the playlist for the drive

(11:32) Did you succeed?

(11:32) if limiting the love songs to 40% is a success then yes, yes i did

(11:32) Have fun!

(11:33) don't say it as if you are shipping me to antarctica to never hear from me again!

(11:33) you know i WILL text you

(11:34) anyway, whaddya looking for?

(11:34) I was talking to Todoroki yesterday and he told me he doesn't like presents, therefore I have decided to give him a present he'd like.

(11:35) unless you're giving him half of your jewelries i still don't get why you're at home

(11:35) presents are usually found at the mall

(11:36) Except I don't want it to be from the mall.

(11:38) Mom used to be a huge Disney fan, so dad took her to Disneyland on their first date. That's when he bought her one of the very first signed editions of The Lion King, which she later gave to me.

(11:38) you wanna give that to wonder boy?

(11:39) isn't it like a family heirloom or something?

(11:39) Precisely why it is a precious object and thus the most meaningful gift.

(11:40) aaaaand an allusion that you like him and wouldn't mind him staying forever

(11:44) About that… err… you came late last night so I never got around to telling you…

(11:45) the … are making me very nervous please just spill it out girl

(11:46) oh my god. ARE YOU DATING HIM?!

(11:46) I am not!

(11:47) [Photo sent]

(11:47) That's a screenshot from our conversation.

(11:47) psychologist jirou here to confirm that that is 100% a date

(11:48) also here to note that i have no idea what about your disney blabbers amazes him so much that he first told you his name and now asked for a date

(11:49) it's like he was in front of his screen and went "ooh her analytical skills show even when she's talking about animated features this is the girl i wanna marry!"

(11:49) Kyouka!

(11:50) also i am very disappointed in you and can't believe you told me this via messages, thus depriving me of seeing your flustered, speechless face!

(11:50) half of the enjoyment is in your reactions, yaomomo! it's just like smelling the food before you eat it!

(11:52) While you lament my lack of common sense, I'll go back to digging through my childhood memories.

(11:54) sure, party pooper

 **Saturday Noon**

 **(13:24) okay but you'll never believe this!**

(13:26) amaze me

 **(13:26) so im in the mall looking for christmas presents right?! and who do you think we run into?!**

(13:27) dunno?

 **(13:27) bakugou and CAMIE!**

(13:28) camie as in shiketsu's volleyball team's manager camie?

 **(13:28) YES!**

 **(13:28) coming out of a shop. TOGETHER.**

(13:28) so were they holding hands?

 **(13:29) youre missing the bigger picture here!**

 **(13:29) bakugou ALLOWED a girl he has been talking to lately NEAR him**

(13:29) you're saying it as if he's an untameable lion

 **(13:30) well…**

 **(13:33) omg okay don't freak out BUUUUT**

 **(13:33) he just took her bag!**

(13:33) you can't see it but i'm rolling my eyes

 **(13:34) boo youre not fun! i thought we were soulmates! shipping people together and mourning our fallen ships as one!**

(13:36) omg okay kaminari this is mina ignore jirou shes just being a pain in the ass

(13:36) more importantly IS THAT A SHIP IM SPOTTING?!

 **(13:36) I SURE HOPE SO!**

 **(13:37) me and the guys are following them now**

(13:37) stalker

(13:38) ugh mina wants to see them too what have you done, pikachu?

 **(13:38) omg you should totally come! ill send you my location**

(13:38) mina again see you there in 30

(13:39) and ill drag your gf with me too so youre in my debt

 **/**

(14:36) I just got back, where are you?

(14:38) i was *dragged* to the mall by my hyperactive friend and way-too-involved-in-other-people's-lives boyfriend

(14:38) i never knew how much i loved you until you were gone

(14:39) I believe that was not how the quote was intended to be used.

(14:39) Why were you dragged to the mall?

(14:39) because when kaminari sees two people breathing next to each other he starts shipping them

(14:39) Shipping…?

(14:40) i'll tour you through the black hole that fandom is another day, yaomomo

(14:40) for now i'm at the mall, begrudgingly following around angry volleyball dude and weird lango manager

(14:42) You mean Bakugou-san and Utsushimi-san?

(14:42) The team teased them about knowing each other, but I didn't know they were such close friends.

(14:43) dunno if i'd describe them as friends, but bakugou is kinda acting nice around her

(14:43) like he just pulled her out of a cart's way (and you know, he yelled "fucking watch where you're going woman!" but it's the thought that counts)

(14:44) That's quite cute.

(14:44) what's really cute, girl, is seeing ashido grab onto kirishima's hand every time she fangirls and him blushing

(14:45) Aww!

(14:45) gtg, kaminari's being a big baby and demanding my undivided attention

(14:47) You two are cute too, even though you'd never admit it.

 **Saturday Afternoon**

 _(15:34) I've just spent three hours with Midoriya, who recited the entire cafe menu for me. Congratulations on making him fall in love with the coffee shop._

(15:43) In my defense, the place is so great it sells itself.

(15:43) How was his date with Uraraka-san, by the way?

 _(15:44) I'd say pretty good, since he actually accepted it was a date._

(15:44) Oooh.

 _(15:45) Exactly._

 _(15:45) And Uraraka texted me too, because I am apparently the new best friend in town._

(15:46) You should be flattered.

 _(15:46) To be used as the psychologist friend?_

(15:47) Funny you should say that, Kyouka always tells me she acts as a psychologist/detective for me.

 _(15:47) Is this the curse of the best friend?_

(15:47) You say that, but I know for a fact you care about your friends.

 _(15:48) I owe them a lot._

(15:48) Friendship isn't only about owing something to someone. It's about unconditional love, fights and silly discussions.

 _(15:49) I think friendship is about being scared._

(15:49) Please elaborate?

 _(15:50) It's about all you've mentioned before while always wondering "is the other person feeling the same? Am I overstepping my boundaries? Am I doing this right?"_

(15:52) Do you always feel like that, Todoroki-san?

 _(15:52) Sometimes?_

 _(15:52) Before I met Midoriya, I don't think I had any real friends. And maybe that's why I don't always know how I should respond, or how I should show him that I do care._

(15:53) My guess is that he already knows you care. You wouldn't have listened to his rambles if you didn't, now would you?

 _(15:55) I suppose…_

(15:56) I'll let you in on a secret. Before I met Kyouka, I was afraid that the only reason why people befriended me was convenience. It was convenient to have a smart friend, and it looked good to say "I know Yaoyorozu!"

(15:57) But then Kyouka came along with her merciless teasing. She snapped at me when I would become annoying. And she told me "our friendship is *work* - but it's work worth doing."

(15:57) What I'm trying to say is that doubting is fine, because at the end of the day, they'll still be there when you need them.

 _(15:58) You sure have a way with words, Yaoyorozu._

(15:59) I don't read all these books for nothing, you know? For instance, I find it fascinating that in English, you *make* friends, like it depends solely on you to befriend people, whereas in German, you *find* them, as if they are already there, waiting for you to open your eyes and see them.

 _(15:59) I like the German phrase better._

 _(16:00) English has "falling in love" however, and that's such a terrifyingly beautiful image._

 _(16:01) You're not falling in anything else. You can fall asleep, because that happens without you actively trying, but you fall *in* love, like it's a bottomless pit that sucks you in._

 _(16:01) And there you're suddenly *in* love, like it's a sea you need to swim your way through, but at the same time you can't be *out of* love._

(16:03) You talk as if you understand.

 _(16:03) I may be starting to._

(16:05) About the movies. I never gave you a proper answer, but I'd love to go.

 _(16:05) Are you nervous?_

(16:07) I am. It's just - it's new. You're new.

(16:07) But I love challenges.

 _(16:07) Did you just turn a movie date in a competition with yourself?_

 _(16:09) Yaoyorozu?_

(16:10) I may be lowkey freaking out (and very thankful that Kyouka isn't here) but is this a date?

 _(16:10) Oh. Did you not want it to be?_

(16:10) Nononono that's not it!

(16:10) Uhm.

 _(16:11) You're adorable._

(16:12) If you keep saying things like that you'll get me in the hospital. I almost fell out of my bunker.

 _(16:12) But it's the truth?_

(16:13) I'll ignore the compliment because I don't know how to react to it. To return to the original subject, I'd very much like to go on a date with you, Todoroki-san.

 _(16:13) I'm pretty sure you're just supposed to say "Thank you" to compliments._

 _(16:14) And why are you so formal?_

(16:14) In that case, thank you.

(16:15) I don't know what you are talking about? I am always this polite.

 _(16:15) We're going for the movies. You don't need to dress up or be uptight. We can take it at our own pace._

(16:15) … Let's do that.

(16:16) Sorry for being so awkward about this.

 _(16:16) It's not like I have too much experience either, you know? But… I'm willing to give us a shot._

(16:17) Me too.

(16:18) Oh God I think I'm as red as a tomato and I hear footsteps.

 _(16:18) If it's Jirou, I'll ask her to send me a picture._

(16:18) Hey! On whose side are you?!

 _(16:19) Almost always yours, but there are exceptions I have to make._

(16:20) Well it wasn't her, so luck isn't on your side.

 _(16:20) If I can find tickets to Coco, luck *is* on my side._

(16:21) Yes! I've been *dying* to watch that movie!

 _(16:25) Two tickets for Monday 18:30. How does that sounds?_

(16:25) Too good to be true.

(16:25) I'll see you there?

 _(16:26) Let me do this properly and pick you up._

(16:26) You don't have to, really.

 _(16:27) It's a very good excuse to spend 30 more minutes with you, don't deny me the pleasure._

(16:27) Oh. Okay. Sure.

 _(16:28) Would you feel more ease if I sent you photos of Eri?_

(16:28) You know me so well.

 **/**

(16:08) It was a date.

(16:13) told ya

(16:14) He's way too smooth. I may have just had a cardiac arrest.

(16:14) you're exaggerating

(16:14) [Photo sent]

(16:15) you're not exaggerating

(16:15) ahhhh i'm on my way back and i'll miss your flustered face again dammit

(16:16) You and Todoroki-san need to get your priorities straight.

(16:16) hold that thought, i've only got one station left

(16:16) should i stop by for snacks?

(16:17) Definitely.

 **The Bakusquad**

 **Explodo McExplode:** If you fuckers follow me again, I'll fucking report you to the police.

 **ElectroBolt:** gasp!

 **ElectroBolt:** he knew!

 **Red Riot:** It's not like you and Ashido were trying too hard to be subtle you know?

 **Cellophane:** True dude

 **Cellophane:** He even glared at you a few times you know

 **ElectroBolt:** why are you all ganging up on me?!

 **Cellophane:** The dolt has a point too

 **Cellophane:** So how was your date Bakubae?

 **Explodo McExplode:** YOU CALL ME THAT ONE MORE TIME AND YOU WON'T LIVE TO SEE TOMORROW!

 **Red Riot:** You weren't so angry when Camie was calling you that

 **ElectroBolt:** thats because he likeeeeees her

 **Explodo McExplode:** You're acting like fucking two year olds.

 **Explodo McExplode:** Oh wait.

 **Explodo McExplode:** That *is* your fucking mental age!

 **Red Riot:** They're just curious how it went Bakugou

 **Explodo McExplode:** Well it's none of their fucking business!

 **ElectroBolt:** booo! kiri hes being mean to usssss

 **Red Riot:** There there

 **Red Riot:** Wait since when am I the mother of the group?

 **Cellophane:** Nah kiri you're our manly dad

 **ElectroBolt:** yeah bakus obviously the mom

 **Explodo McExplode:** What did you fucking say?!

 **ElectroBolt:** dont you find it just fascinating how moms always yelling in real life but sparingly uses caps when writing?

 **Cellophane:** Well mom's proper texting certainly didn't rub off *you* you disgraceful child

 **ElectroBolt:** well excuse ME for sparing time and energy!

 **Explodo McExplode:** You're just a lazy motherfucker, that's what you are!

 **Cellophane:** See? Listen to your mom!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I'm not your fucking mom!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I swear to God I'll never curse the world with such stupid dipshits.

 **ElectroBolt:** awwww moms using terms of endearment again!

 **Red Riot:** Just ignore them Bakugou

 **Red Riot:** And if you don't wanna talk about Camie that's fine too

 **Red Riot:** We just saw you laughing with her and we're glad you're happy!

 **ElectroBolt:** hes not responding

 **Cellophane:** Could this be…

 **ElectroBolt:** bakugous embarrassed?!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I'm not, you fucking morons!

 **Explodo McExplode:** And if you're dying to know, yes, I had a nice fucking time, because for fucking once you dipshits weren't there!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Do you have any fucking idea how exhausting it is to always make sure you don't destroy the entire mall?!

 **ElectroBolt:** omg

 **Cellophane:** He… he cares!

 **ElectroBolt:** hes looking out for us!

 **Red Riot:** I'm glad you had a good time

 **Explodo McExplode:** You're honestly the only fucker who's not a complete dipshit here, Kirishima.

 **Saturday Evening**

(20:37) I'm back at winning at Scrabble and I think the girls are starting to regret their decision at letting me back in.

 _(20:43) What pompous word did you think up this time?_

(20:43) Don't call words "pompous", it's unkind to them.

(20:44) Some of them are just… boisterous.

(20:44) And the word was "quetzals".

 _(20:44) What even is that?_

(20:45) The national bird of Guatemala as well as one of its monetary units.

 _(20:45) You can't be serious._

(20:47) I don't joke with Scrabble.

 _(20:47) Remind me to never play with you, lest I want to feel stupid._

(20:48) Or you could train and become exceptionally good at it?

 _(20:48) If I don't die from Fuyumi-nee's Christmas cookies, maybe I will._

(20:48) Are they that bad?

 _(20:49) "Bad" is putting it nicely._

 _(20:49) I have no idea how Iida-san can tell her they're delicious while tears are welling up in his eyes._

(20:51) He sounds like a sweet guy.

 _(20:52) He is. I couldn't have imagined someone better for my sister._

 _(20:52) I still hope she'll leave the cooking to him from now on, though._

(20:53) Are you a disaster in the kitchen, too?

 _(20:53) It's rude of you to assume I take after my sister._

(20:54) So you are, huh?

 _(20:56) I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I just follow the recipe and yet somehow I still burn everything._

(20:56) Maybe Bakugou isn't the true pyroman here.

 _(20:57) It's a curse that runs in the family, okay? Only my older brother escaped it._

(20:57) Aren't volleyball players supposed to have a balanced diet?

 _(20:58) Fuyumi-nee can manage basic meals, and Iida-san often comes over (and let me tell you, the food he cooks? Delicious.)_

(21:00) Satou and I are baking cookies tomorrow, too, so maybe we can send you the recipe?

(21:01) Satou is the best cook you'll ever meet, and *no one* can surpass his sweets.

 _(21:02) Don't trust us with anything too complicated._

(21:02) I'll ask him to be very thorough in his explanations.

 _(21:03) Why are you two baking cookies anyway?_

(21:03) Probably the same reason as your sister: to get into the Christmas spirit!

(21:04) I know you're not big on Christmas, but it really is an opportunity to bond with your close ones! Maybe you should have Midoriya-san and Iida-san over, too?

 _(21:04) My sister would never shut up about it if I bring my friends home. She can be pretty nosy._

(21:05) I'm sure she just cares.

 _(21:05) She almost cried when she heard I was buying Christmas gifts._

(21:06) She was proud!

 _(21:06) You're really keen on me having this cookie baking session with my friends, aren't you?_

(21:06) A bit, yes. I want you to have fun and understand the true beauty of Christmas!

 _(21:07) Alright, I'll try._

(21:07) Yey!

 _(21:07) I'm really weak against you, Yaoyorozu._

 **My Nosy Friends**

 **Todoroki:** I have an out of character suggestion.

 **Iida:** We are listening, Todoroki-kun!

 **Todoroki:** Would you like to try baking cookies tomorrow?

 **Uraraka:** Talk about ooc

 **Uraraka:** Sadly I can t come

 **Uraraka:** I have this thing planned with Tsuyu tomorrow

 **Midoriya:** That's too bad! Todoroki's proposal actually sounds nice! Nothing says Christmas like sweets and friends!

 **Iida:** What a wonderful way of bonding with your friends! I expected nothing less from you, Todoroki-kun!

 **Todoroki:** Why are you all so excited about this?

 **Todoroki:** It's just cookies. And if I'm involved, it's likely they'll get burned anyway.

 **Midoriya:** It's not about the cookies, Todoroki. It's about having fun together!

 **Iida:** Midoriya-kun is right! We're creating memories!

 **Todoroki:** Memories, huh?

 **/**

 _(21:46) Thanks, Yaoyorozu._

(21:47) I'm not sure what you're thanking me for, but anytime.

 **/**

(22:27) ugh, would you stop rereading your convos with wonderboy and get down here to watch a movie?!

(22:27) But he said it's a date, Kyouka! Does that mean we are dating now?

(22:28) why don't you ask him in person?

(22:30) come on girl, my battery is running low, i'm too lazy to plug the charger in and i've been *dying* to watch antman and the wasp!

(22:31) you know, marvel studios movies are technically disney movies

(22:31) Say no more.

 **/**

(22:27) todomomo are officially going on a date

 **(22:28) bakucamie and todomomo in the same day?! what a time to be alive!**

 **(22:28) this almost makes me feel less nervous about tomorrow**

 **(22:29) keyword: almost**

(22:29) they won't behead you

 **(22:29) you can't know that for sure!**

(22:30) such a drama queen

(22:30) gtg, we're watching marvel movies

 **(22:31) yes of course lemme have nightmares all by myself**

 **(22:59) thats it i cant sleep**

(23:04) remind me why i said yes to meeting your parents?

* * *

AN: Hello!

So much happened this chapter it was rather hard to write a summary lol. Still, I hope you've enjoyed it! It was a blast to write this (especially for the Bakusquad moments lmao, they're just so much fun). The bakucamie "date" will be brought up again later in this story (more precisely, chapter 16)  
I hope you've enjoyed this! I love Todomomo's relationship so much so if you're here to tell me you can't wait for the movie date, just know I can't wait either! Till next time, lovely readers~


	15. Chapter 15

**AN:** In which Todoroki bakes cookies (and it goes well), Kaminari meets Jirou's parents (and it obviously doesn't go that well because that's the way the cookie crumbles) and Midoriya and Uraraka have a serious talk.

Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shouto  
Underlined is Jirou  
Bold underlined is **Kaminari**  
~Bold italics~ is **Uraraka**  
Bold is **Midoriya**

* * *

 **15\. Time Spent with Friends and Meeting the Parents (It's Kaminari's Turn to Shine)**

* * *

 **Sunday, 19th December**

 **Sunday Morning**

(10:34) Be proud of me.

 _(10:36) I'm always proud of you._

(10:36) This is usually when you ask "why", Todoroki-san?

 _(10:37) You're avoiding my compliments again (and that's a shame given how sparingly I give them out)._

 _(10:37) But I'll humor you regardless._

 _(10:38) Why?_

(10:38) I convinced the girls to watch Atlantis: the Lost Empire.

(10:39) (The better you get at compliments, the better I get at dodging them.)

 _(10:39) I really *am* proud._

 _(10:39) How did you manage it? That movie is so terribly underrated!_

 _(10:40) (Should I stop…?)_

(10:40) (No, you don't have to. I… actually quite like them.)

(10:41) I know! It's criminally overlooked! If not for Hercules, this would have been hands-down my favourite movie!

 _(10:41) (I won't then, but getting some feedback would be nice.)_

 _(10:42) Because you are definitely *not* a science nerd._

(10:42) Because I am more of a mythology nerd than a science one.

(10:43) (Thank you. I'll try to better express myself.)

(10:43) Anyway, the trick to getting the girls to watch it was telling them there are strong female characters in it.

(10:44) Ashido immediately yelled "there are badass females in a movie I haven't watched?!" so now she's watching it.

 _(10:44) (I don't want to push anything on you.)_

 _(10:45) You're not a nerd, but you're as passionate as Milo and that's cute._

 _(10:45) Also this Ashido girl is back in my good books now._

(10:45) (You aren't. And you just did it again. Thank you.)

(10:46) Why was she ever in your bad books?

 _(10:46) For kicking you out of Scrabble night._

 _(10:47) (I'm glad then.)_

(10:47) Oh.

 _(10:48) How does she find the movie so far?_

(10:48) She says Helga is her spirit animal.

(10:49) She hasn't met Kida just yet.

 _(10:49) She's in for some tough moral questions if she likes Helga._

(10:49) That's true. Helga is so interesting because she never redeems herself, in fact. She just acts along the lines of "If I'm going down, I'm taking everyone with me."

(10:50) I'm just glad they're finally discovering that Disney movies aren't just "for kids".

 _(10:50) Nothing about Helga's no-shit-taking attitude is childish. "Today would be nice, people."_

(10:50) True. I mean, she *is* introduced as a femme fatale, but dangerous at the same time ("I came down the chimney. Ho. Ho. Ho.") From the start, the directors put her in the shadow, but a lighting (read: disaster) brings her into the light. If that isn't foreshadowing, I don't know what is.

(10:51) Ashido just heard Audrey's backstory and now she's very conflicted as to who her favourite character is.

(10:53) Oh no, now she knows.

 _(10:53) "I sleep in the nude"?_

(10:53) Precisely.

 _(10:54) This makes me want to rewatch Atlantis so badly, but I need to mentally prepare myself for a cookie baking session first._

 _(10:55) Which reminds me: weren't you supposed to be baking cookies too?_

(10:55) They're in the oven now!

(10:56) The smell is what brought the girls downstairs in the first place.

(10:58) [Photo sent]

(10:58) This is Sato-san's recipe, with very detailed explanations.

 _(11:02) Oh waw. He even drew a Ratatouille reference in a corner!_

(11:02) He's a fellow "nerd".

 _(11:03) Is he watching Atlantis with you?_

(11:03) He said he'd rather not see Commander Rourke again and get his blood boiling.

 _(11:04) He makes a valid point._

 _(11:04) Only knowing that Helga owns him gets me through rewatches._

 _(11:05) Looks like Midoriya and Iida are here, can I text you later?_

(11:05) You can always text me.

 _(11:06) You're getting better at this (should I be worried?)_

(11:06) I had a good teacher (no, I'll never reach your levels of smoothness).

 _(11:34) I just made an Atlantis reference and the guys didn't get it, I am utterly disappointed._

 _(11:34) Iida is now fretting about my alimentation and I don't know how to tell him it was a joke. He's firmly convinced "joke" isn't in my vocabulary, and I doubt "reference" is in his._

(11:36) "I got your four basic food groups! Beans, bacon, whiskey and lard!"

 _(11:36) You, Yaoyorozu, are the only one who gets me._

(11:37) What can I say, I aim to please.

 _(11:37) And you deliver._

 **/**

(12:09) [Photo sent]

(12:09) Here are some cookies to sweeten your day! How's meeting the parents going?

(12:13) judging from pikachu's expression, he's still terrified

(12:13) Did your father do the "what are you to jirou? Here, sign a contract! (*It's actually a blood oath* he then whispers in your ear)" thing with him too?

(12:14) he had a contract prepared the day i told him i had a boyfriend

(12:14) kaminari wasn't as good as you at negotiating the terms tho

(12:15) but he apparently charmed dad with his music knowledge and bad puns and the contract was forgotten

(12:15) Seems like he's doing good to me.

(12:16) he's still a bit stiff, but he's alright

(12:16) dad would never say this outright, but he likes him

(12:18) i mean, they've been playing arctic monkeys for the past ten minutes and he even let pikachu touch his instruments so that's a good sign

(12:18) he didn't let *me* touch them until four years into our father-daughter relationship so. kaminari wins this one.

(12:20) waw i think he's quizzing him on rock now

(12:20) He's your boyfriend, I'm pretty sure he knows everything there is to know about rock.

(12:21) What did your mother say?

(12:22) the smooth bastard offered to help her set the table, she obviously loves him

(12:22) i'm still scared of the trip questions tho

(12:23) You'll be fine! How bad can he be?

(12:24) yeah…

(12:53) update: remind me to never be an optimist again

(12:53) Kyouka? What happened?!

(12:54) Kyouka?!

(12:58) If you don't answer I'm coming to get you.

(12:58) ugh don't

(12:58) i'm too embarrassed to see anyone rn

(12:58) What happened?

(13:01) everything started out nicely, you know? dad and my bf playing the guitar together and making jokes (even dad jokes like ugh you should have heard me *groaning*); pikachu complimenting my mom ("i see where jirou gets her good looks from" which is bullshit because everyone with two eyes can see i take after my dad but anyway) things were going well

(13:02) you know how in horror movies, the happier the family is at the beginning the worse it ends?! apparently it's the rule of thumb

(13:03) Did they fight?

(13:03) worse

(13:04) dad starting asking about the trip and pikachu was all like "yeah we do it every year, my friends will tag along" "your friends?" "yeah, a couple of classmates" "are there any other girls?" "well no, but one of my friends is like a mother"

(13:04) Seems pretty normal to me? He's worried about your well being, you know?

(13:05) oh wait yaomomo, this is just the start

(13:05) okay so dad goes "what about accommodation?" "we have a cabin up there" "so kyouka will sleep with you?"

(13:05) He didn't mean it like *that*.

(13:06) Probably.

(13:06) hah, exactly what i told myself

(13:06) until kaminari said "she'll have her own room, of course" and dad pulled a package and passed it to him "just to be sure"

(13:07) and do you know what was in there?

(13:07) FUCKING CONDOMS

(13:08) Oh.

(13:08) GOD HOW COULD HE I MEAN HOW?! I'M FREAKING 16 I'VE BEEN DATING THE DOLT FOR TWO WEEKS

(13:08) Okay okay, let's calm down, Kyouka.

(13:09) Maybe it was a joke?

(13:09) a very bad joke

(13:09) but he looked serious oh god

(13:09) What did you do afterwards?

(13:10) i kinda ran to my room

(13:10) i know it's the worst thing to do but i didn't know what else to say okay?!

(13:11) What about Kaminari?

(13:11) he knocked on my door but i didn't answer so… i don't know

(13:12) i have like 10 missed texts and calls from him but i'm too ashamed to answer

(13:12) Kyouka…

(13:13) i'm furious, okay?!

(13:13) i never even thought about *that*! kaminari is just… he's nice to hang around. doesn't make me feel like i have to try too hard or be someone i'm not, you know?

(13:14) Yeah.

(13:14) But he really likes you, Kyouka, and he won't get the bad idea or anything. It wasn't your fault in the first place.

(13:15) So maybe try talking to him?

(13:15) He's probably worried, you know?

(13:17) yeah… i suppose

(13:17) Okay.

(13:18) And if you need me, I'm here.

(13:18) thanks momo

(13:19) Don't mention it.

 **/**

 **(12:49) look jirou its fine**

 **(12:49) i mean it was sorta embarrassing but hey thats what parents are for**

 **(12:50) okay im not helping**

 **(12:50) i just**

 **(12:52) look i really like you. like a lot. a lot lot. a loooooot loooooot**

 **(12:52) and im glad your parents didnt seem to hate me**

 **(12:53) i mean condoms are kinda the "hey have a go but stay safe" signal**

 **(12:53) which i obviously wont do without your consent**

 **(12:53) what i mean is that it wasnt a rejection so thats a plus**

 **(12:55) im digging my own grave here arent i?**

 **(13:12) okay this is the last message so hear me out. i really like you, jirou kyouka. and im glad your parents dont seem to hate me because that wouldve made it really hard for me to go out with you. as for your fathers precautions they are probably justified because teenage boys are bags of hormones and youre stunning so it wouldnt be a far fetched assumption to say that someone would take advantage of you except i respect you too much to do that (and am lowkey afraid because you can pack a really good punch). which for the record is exactly what i told your father as i returned the condoms. he seemed pretty happy with the response and said that if only you left your room hed tell you we have his blessing to go on this trip (and avoid sexual intercourse)**

(13:22) oh my god

(13:22) you're such a dork

 **(13:22) JIROU! YOURE ALIVE!**

(13:23) just barely. i'm still very much trying to dig a hole and hide in it

 **(13:23) but thatd mean youd miss the trip so no!**

(13:24) you really… told dad all of that?

 **(13:24) word for word**

 **(13:25) well i might have insisted a bit too much on how beautiful you are because he cleared his throat at a point but thats the gist of it yeah**

(13:25) oh my gahd

 **(13:25) did you snort?**

(13:26) … yeah

 **(13:26) and thats one point for me**

(13:26) against who?

 **(13:27) uhm your embarrassment?**

(13:27) you dork

 **(13:27) does that mean youre feeling better?**

(13:28) does that mean you don't hate me and never want to see me and my family again?

 **(13:28) did you even read the part where i tell you how much i like you?**

 **(13:29) do you want me to serenade you? cause i totally could**

(13:29) oh god please don't

(13:29) wait

(13:30) what the hell are you doing outside pikachu?!

 **(13:31) i thought if i waited enough you'd notice and get out of your room because you pity me and then we could talk?**

(13:31) kaminari… it's freezing!

 **(13:32) but my burning love for you keeps me warm**

(13:32) pffft

(13:32) how can you actually say that?!

 **(13:33) im a maiden at heart**

(13:33) omg

(13:34) so you won't block my number if i come downstairs now and hug you?

 **(13:34) do i need to make a pancart on which i advertise my undying love for you for you to believe me?**

(13:34) if you do that *i'll* be the one blocking you

 **(13:34) duly noted**

(13:36) i just realized i need to get past my dad to get downstairs

 **(13:36) that was also part of the plan**

(13:36) i am still very mad at him

 **(13:36) he might want to apologize**

(13:37) i can't believe i'm doing this for you

 **(13:37) i turned down condoms for you, jirou**

(13:37) *never* say that again

 **(13:37) yes ma'am!**

(13:38) just

(13:38) gimme a minute

(13:38) i'll be there

 **Sunday Noon**

 _(13:34) We have achieved the impossible._

 _(13:34) [Photo sent]_

(13:38) Those look really tasty!

 _(13:39) They were._

 _(13:39) Past tense because Fuyumi-nee-san finished them already._

(13:39) Did she like them?

 _(13:40) Very much._

 _(13:40) Iida-san was also here and he shed tears, but this time because a good dish was cooked by a Todoroki. I think he wrote it down in his journey or something._

(13:40) I'm starting to pity him.

(13:41) The important question is: did you have fun?

 _(13:41) Yes._

 _(13:42) At first I didn't know what to expect but… I must hand it to you. Cooking can be fun._

(13:42) As long as you're with friends, anything can be fun.

 _(13:42) Midoriya and Iida enjoyed themselves, too._

 _(13:43) Of course Iida went all "As expected of Yaoyorozu-san, she knows how to bring the Christmas spirit into our homes!" because he painted this great image of you being a class rep and all._

(13:43) Thank him for me?

 _(13:43) Sure._

 _(13:44) Also Midoriya apparently has a notebook with ideas for good presents and he jotted this down. I bet he'll cook them for Uraraka._

(13:44) That's actually sweet!

(13:44) Speaking of which, are they dating now?

 _(13:45) He said they haven't discussed that aspect just yet…_

(13:45) I hope they do sort it out.

 _(13:46) Well he's still at my place so that won't happen for a while._

(13:46) Oh? What are you guys doing?

 _(13:46) Fuyumi-nee-san has seized this opportunity to make them all sit down and watch "It's a Wonderful Life" with her._

(13:47) That's such a good movie!

 _(13:47) She made me watch it every year, I think I know it by heart._

(13:47) Your sister really *is* a Christmas lover!

 _(13:48) I must never let you two meet, you'd somehow manage to make even Bakugou believe in Santa._

 _(13:48) Speaking of which, we also started working on Uraraka's present._

(13:49) Oh?

 _(13:49) I needed the guys' help, so we figured it'd be more meaningful to give it to her as a gift from all of us. We're making her a photo album with pictures of all of us._

(13:50) That's lovely, Todoroki-san! I'm sure she'll be thrilled!

 _(13:50) The best part is, the last page is empty so we can put a picture of all of us from the Christmas Party._

(13:51) This is a truly meaningful gift! I am so proud of you!

(13:51) Speaking of photos, did the guys breach your Facebook account again to post photos from your profile?

 _(13:51) Actually, I posted that one._

 _(13:52) I… I guess I wanted you to see it._

(13:52) You looked like you were having fun. It's nice to see you smile.

(13:54) Todoroki-san?

 _(13:54) You never said that before._

(13:54) Hm? But I do think your smile is pretty dazzling, and it suits you!

 _(13:55) You're too good for me, Yaoyorozu._

(13:55) What's that supposed to mean?

 _(13:57) Nothing, nothing._

 _(13:57) Don't complain when I'm taking pictures of you tomorrow._

(13:57) Hey! At least tell me before you do.

 _(13:58) I can't promise anything._

 **/**

(14:47) i'm alive, rejoice, let queen blast through my room, get me a pack of those crackers!

(14:47) So dramatic.

(14:48) I take it it ended well?

(14:48) eventually

(14:49) pikachu was really chill about it and dad apologized so i guess it's fine

(14:49) All's well that ends well!

(14:50) you too, yaomomo, are a maiden of heart

(14:50) I am a Disney fan at heart, don't insult me like that!

(14:50) yes, your dorkiness. does that mean i can tease you about your it's-a-date-wonderboy-said-so?

(14:51) My heart is still not prepared for that.

(14:51) Especially not when I have been staring for over ten minutes at his newest picture on Facebook oh Lord what if I do that tomorrow too?

(14:52) stare at his fb profile?

(14:52) Glad to see your sarcasm is back but you are *not* helping me!

(14:52) relax girl, what's the worst that could happen?

(14:52) You said the same and your father gave your boyfriend condoms.

(14:53) that's in the past and we shall never talk about it again

(14:53) It's not in the friendship contract.

(14:53) i think we need to update it. STAT.

(14:53) Hehe:)

(14:54) you using emojis gives me creeps

 **The Bakusquad**

 **Res Riot:** So how did meeting Jirou's parents go?

 **Cellophane:** Yh did they kick you outta the house? Did they throw tomatoes at you and tell you never to approach their daughter again?

 **ElectroBolt:** thank you for asking kirishima

 **Cellophane:** HEY! Don't ignore me!

 **ElectroBolt:** kirishima would you please tell sero hes being a dick

 **Red Riot:** Sero you're annoying Kaminari

 **Cellophane:** See kami mom doesn't use profanities!

 **Cellophane:** Seriously dude how did it go?!

 **ElectroBolt:** i… well…

 **Cellophane:** You didn't break up with her did you?!

 **ElectroBolt:** god what?! no of course not!

 **ElectroBolt:** look i really like jirou i dont wanna break up with her well… ever

 **Red Riot:** Awww

 **Cellophane:** Get over the sappy bullshit and tell us what happened!

 **ElectroBolt:** well her dad gave me… protection. for the trip.

 **Explodo McExplode:** Pffft

 **Cellophane:** OMG I CHOKED HE WHAT NOW?!

 **Red Riot:** … Protection?

 **Cellophane:** He means condoms mom

 **Red Riot:** Manly!

 **ElectroBolt:** no kiri it wasnt manly it was embarrassing

 **ElectroBolt:** especially for jirou

 **Explodo McExplode:** I can't believe it!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Her dad has good taste.

 **ElectroBolt:** what?!

 **Explodo McExplode:** He obviously saw how stupid you are and doesn't want to curse the world with your spawns.

 **Explodo McExplode:** Although it's very bold of him to assume you are apt for such a complex process as reproduction.

 **ElectroBolt:** what would you know?!

 **ElectroBolt:** what did you touch third base with camie or something?

 **Explodo McExplode:** YOU THINK I DID WHAT YOU FUCKER?!

 **Cellophane:** Dude next time you insult bakugou give me a heads-up so i can pick up some popcorn

 **Explodo McExplode:** IMMA KILL YOU!

 **ElectroBolt:** hey did you guys notice bakuboo only uses caps when we assault him about camie?

 **Cellophane:** Hey you're right

 **Cellophane:** I wonder what that means~

 **Explodo McExplode:** You know what? Fine!

 **Explodo McExplode:** See if I fucking care, you dipshits!

 **Cellophane:** Okay but I've been stalking this Camie girl and she sure has a nuice bod

 **Explodo McExplode:** DON'T TALK ABOUT HER LIKE SHE'S A FUCKING OBJECT!

 **Cellophane:** Look who doesn't care.

 **ElectroBolt:** bakuboo is in love~

 **Explodo McExplode:** I'm not in fucking love, that's bullshit!

 **Red Riot:** But Kaminari is Jirou still coming with us?

 **ElectroBolt:** 100% yes

 **ElectroBolt:** if she didnt id be wailing and writing goodbye messages to the world now

 **Explodo McExplode:** I think I can arrange that.

 **ElectroBolt:** DUDE NO

 **Explodo McExplode:** I wonder what she'd say about the tape incident…

 **Cellophane:** Ohohoho the tape incident!

 **ElectroBolt:** dude that was partially your fault!

 **Cellophane:** How does me having tape with me make it my fault?!

 **Red Riot:** Why do you always have tape with you anyway?

 **Cellophane:** That's a secret~

 **Cellophane:** Besides I need my own quirk!

 **Explodo McExplode:** So should I tell your girlfriend, shit for brains?

 **ElectroBolt:** our love is strong!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Strong enough to resist the beans incident, too?

 **ElectroBolt:** okay maybe not

 **ElectroBolt:** fine imma stop teasing you

 **Red Riot:** Don't make promises you can't keep…

 **Sunday Afternoon**

 _ **(18:23) ~Hi Deku!~**_

 **(18:26) Hello!**

 _ **(18:26) ~Okay so I ve written this message beforehand because I didn t want to chicken out and now I'll just send it but I had a really nice time yesterday and I dunno if you feel the same but I sort of wouldn t mind to do it more often. We never actually discussed whether it was a date or not but for me it was because I really do like you Deku. I hope I m not being a bother to you - I know how determined you are and you inspire me to work harder myself. It s probably why I started liking you in the first place. I really don t want things to be awkward between us from now on so if you don t feel the same way feel free to just tell me and I ll try my best to treat you like before because I do cherish our friendship more than anything and you re an important person in my life. But if you do feel the same way (and I kinda hope so) then… what have you been waiting for for so long seriously?!~**_

 _ **(18:33) ~Deku? I m lowkey freaking out please say something~**_

 **(18:35) Sorry I just had to reread that to make sure I wasn't dreaming because it really seems too good to be true.**

 **(18:36) I thought it was pretty obvious how I felt about you, but I'll say it anyway, as many times as you want to hear it (I'll be blushing madly each time but then again you always make me flustered so it's to be expected).**

 **(18:36) I like you too, Uraraka-san. And it would be an honor to ask you to officially be my girlfriend.**

 _ **(18:37) ~So formal~**_

 _ **(18:37) ~Are you nervous?~**_

 **(18:37) A little.**

 **(18:38) Aren't you?**

 _ **(18:38) ~A lot~**_

 _ **(18:38) ~I m a bag of nerves and butterflies tied up with a jittery rope~**_

 _ **(18:39) ~But this is probably the best day of my life!~**_

 **(18:39) You still haven't answered my question.**

 _ **(18:39) ~I d love to be your girlfriend Deku!~**_

 _ **(18:41) ~Are you crying?~**_

 **(18:41) Just a little…?**

 _ **(18:41) ~So this is it huh? No more beating around the bush~**_

 **(18:42) Yeah.**

 **(18:42) It was so easy after all.**

 _ **(18:43) ~Because I did all the work~**_

 **(18:43) Actually I-I had a message prepared too.**

 **(18:43) [Photo sent]**

 **(18:44) I was just too scared to send it.**

 _ **(18:44) ~Scared of what?~**_

 **(18:45) That I didn't deserve to be at your side, and that you'd be embarrassed with me.**

 _ **(18:45) ~Remind me to slap you for that tomorrow~**_

 _ **(18:46) ~You re someone I look up to and greatly admire! I could never be ashamed with you!~**_

 **(18:46) Thank you, Uraraka-san!**

 **(18:47) I'm really lucky to have you in my life!**

 **/**

 _ **(18:27) ~Okay I did it but he isn t answering what if he blocked me what if he hates me wnskmwksm~**_

 _(18:27) You… confessed to Midoriya?_

 _ **(18:27) ~YES?!~**_

 _(18:28) And you *actually* expect him not to freak out and mumble about it for like ten minutes?_

 _ **(18:28) ~I would very much appreciate it if he did FREAKING OUT HERE!~**_

 _(18:29) As I can see._

 _(18:29) He'll answer. He's Midoriya. He just needs time._

 _ **(18:29) ~You re right~**_

 _ **(18:31) ~Okay I have given him time CAN HE ANSWER NOW?!~**_

 _(18:31) If you keep spamming me with caps I'll block you._

 _ **(18:31) ~What sort of friend are you?~**_

 _(18:32) The sort who doesn't remember subscribing to the daily "my best friends are mutually pining on each other and they keep asking me for advice" show._

 _ **(18:32) ~OMG DO YOU THINK IT IS MUTUAL?!~**_

 _(18:32) Caps._

 _ **(18:32) ~Message received mr grumpy~**_

 _(18:33) And yes, it's pretty obvious for everyone except you two that you're simply dancing around each other, waiting for the balance to be destroyed so you can *finally* be honest with the other._

 _ **(18:34) ~Oh.~**_

 _ **(18:36) ~Okay he answered wksmkxekzmsk~**_

 _(18:36) So? Was I right or was I right?_

 _ **(18:47) ~You were right!~**_

 _ **(18:47) ~Todoroki you re the best I ll make sure to bake you thank you cookies for valentines!~**_

 _(18:48) Don't, I'm not that fond of sweets._

 _(18:48) Get me instant cold soba and we'll call it quits._

 **/**

 _(18:54) I can't decide whether I did the best or worst thing ever._

(18:57) You have my undivided attention.

 _(18:57) I told Uraraka to confess to Midoriya and now they're finally a couple._

(18:58) That's sensational! It's obviously a good thing, Todoroki-san! I'm so happy for them!

 _(18:58) Yes but won't they be all lovey-dovey with each other from now on?_

(18:58) Aren't they too easily embarrassed for that?

 _(18:58) I sure hope so. I can't take this mushy things._

(18:59) And yet you are very smooth.

(18:59) Speaking of which, I need your advice because Kyouka is being a terrible friend right now and says she's had enough of my nitpicking.

 _(18:59) If you're looking for relationship advice you're better off asking my sister._

(19:00) Don't worry, it's easy.

(19:00) So I have a date with this guy tomorrow.

 _(19:01) How is this *not* relationship advice?_

(19:01) Just hear me out.

(19:01) I'm not sure what I should be wearing.

 _(19:02) Oh._

 _(19:02) Well what are your options?_

(19:04) So we have contestant no. 1: plain beige skirt with white turtleneck sweater; contestant no. 2: high waist jeans with baggy sweater tucked into them and contestant no.3: jeans with an office shirt and a cashmere cardigan for the fashion touch.

 _(19:04) That is awfully detailed._

(19:04) Look, I've been doing this for the past hour and I think I've exasperated Kyouka.

 _(19:05) Is this guy really worth all your energy?_

(19:05) Yes he is, now will you help me?

 _(19:06) You do know he'll think you look stunning in anything you wear, don't you?_

(19:06) Flattery isn't going to choose my outfit, however.

 _(19:06) Go for the skirt if you're not going to be cold in it._

(19:07) I was hoping you'd say that because I have this earrings I've been dying to wear and they fit perfectly!

 _(19:07) Yaoyorozu?_

 _(19:07) You don't have to try too hard._

 _(19:08) You could come in your pajamas for all I care._

(19:08) While that is an intriguing notion, I really want this to be perfect. It's my first real date, after all.

 _(19:08) I'm going to make sure it's special._

(19:10) Thank you.

(19:10) Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go tell Kyouka she was wrong about the jeans look!

 _(19:11) Pfft._

 _(19:11) I can't wait to see you._

(19:13) Me neither.

 **/**

(20:34) would you STOP fidgeting?!

(20:34) But it's a date!

(20:35) girl, nothing is scarier than your dad teaching your bf about protection

(20.35) trust me, i should know

(20:36) I thought we didn't talk about that anymore?

(20:36) we do when it makes you stop mumbling about clothes and makeup

(20:37) I'm still gonna ask you to help me style my hair tomorrow.

(20:37) the things i do for you, yaomomo, are beyond words. i am your moral support, psychologist, detective and comedic relief

(20:38) now i believe such roles are enough to grant me your last cracker

(20:38) I really love you, Kyouka.

(20:38) Even more than I love my food.

(20:39) now that's a declaration of love if i ever saw one

(20:39) and i love you too, yaomomo

(20:39) but i still love pineapple pizza more

(20:40) Ah, I knew it!

* * *

AN: Hello!

This chapter was a blast to write lmao. I know it's very different from other chapters in that it's pretty direct (the condom story is something I can see Jiroudad doing tho, he almost fought Eraserhead he's obviously protective dad). I hope it was enjoyable for you to read, too. It packed some of my favourite moments, from kaminari being best bf tm to the Izuocha confession. I know it was pretty direct and perhaps underclimactic, but they've been beating around the bush enough already!  
Rambles aside, I hope you're prepared for the next chapter because TODOMOMO DATE! And I have a small surprise~ You'll see! Till next time, lovely readers, and thank you for all your love: it's truly overwhelming!


	16. Chapter 16

**AN:** In which Aizawa is being Dadzawa, Jirou has fun teasing her best friend and the date happens. Everything comes in snippets with a heavy dose of fluff, because if I actually wrote the ENTIRE thing, we'd be here all year, so enjoy this 7k something ode to TodoMomo:)

Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shouto  
Italics underlined is Iida  
Underlined is Jirou  
Bold underlined is **Kaminari**  
!Bold! is **!All Might!**  
{Italics underdlined} is {Aizawa}

* * *

 **16\. Dinner and Almost-Kisses (Jirou Is Enjoying This Way too Much)**

* * *

 **Monday, 20th December**

 **Monday Morning**

 _(06:23) You seem very well versed in… well, pretty much everything, so I need to ask you this, Yaoyorozu._

 _(06:23) Is it possible to legally disown your older brother?_

(06:25) Uhm, only if you die before him and leave a will behind, I suppose.

(06:25) Why are you asking, though?

 _(06:27) Ah, then I'll have to go for the silent treatment._

 _(06:27) The law should really be changed to prevent older brothers from being A-class jerks. Or it should at least give youngest children the legal right to somehow punish their demonic older siblings._

(06:28) You did mention having an older brother before, but I thought you lived with your sister?

 _(06:28) I do. And for good reason._

 _(06:29) Natsuo-nii is in college and (thankfully) living on campus._

(06:29) I thought he was a good addition to the family because he was a good cook?

 _(06:29) If only he didn't open his mouth…_

 _(06:30) He dropped by this morning and I thought "hey, maybe we'll finally have a proper breakfast and not just dinner leftovers" but apparently his university already gave them holidays so he's here to stay. For the rest of the year. I don't know whether I can deal with this._

(06:31) Is he annoying?

 _(06:31) The first thing he said when he saw me was "Why are you up at such ungodly hours?! I hoped to sneak in and draw on your face!"_

(06:32) I suppose that's how siblings are…

 _(06:32) Believe me, you're not missing anything by being an only child. If anything, it's better off for your stress levels._

(06:32) Kyouka is the closest thing I have to a sister and last night she told me she loves pineapple pizza more than she loves me…

 _(06:33) Natsuo-nii purposely heated my soba up this morning._

(06:33) Which is bad because…

 _(06:33) It was *cold* soba._

(06:33) Uhm, this may be out of place, but what exactly is the difference?

 _(06:34) Yaoyorozu._

(06:34) I have a very ominous feeling about this. Am I ruining my chances?

 _(06:34) No, but we *are* having cold soba tonight and that's final._

(06:35) Oh. I wasn't aware this was a movie *and* dinner date.

 _(06:35) It is now. You can't live without knowing the greatness of cold soba. You'll thank me later._

 _(06:36) How did you even manage to live 16 years without trying it out?_

(06:36) My parents are very fond of Western culture, so our cooks have studied in Europe. I grew up with French and Italian dishes.

 _(06:37) Well I suppose the noodles are close in taste to spaghetti? I've never actually tried it so I can't say._

(06:37) How can you call yourself a Disney fan without ever having tried spaghetti?!

(06:37) I mean, The Lady and the Tramp?

 _(06:38) Okay, tonight is soba, and the next time you can pick an Italian place. Sounds good?_

(06:38) Yes.

(06:40) But just so you know, we don't slurp spaghetti.

 _(06:40) Well that's too bad, because we *do* slurp soba._

 _(06:40) Even Natsuo-nii does._

 _(06:41) Maybe that's why we haven't killed each other yet…?_

(06:41) But it isn't good manners, Todoroki-san!

 _(06:41) Wow, I have more to teach you than I thought._

 **/**

(06:39) There is going to be a NEXT TIME!

(06:44) i'm glad you keep your "waking my best friend up at ungodly hours" services for the weekdays

(06:44) i wouldn't have hesitated to kill you if you did it during the weekend

(06:45) You openly said you loved food more than me, you had this coming.

(06:45) yaomomo, i love food more than i love myself

(06:45) obvious remarks aside, what is this declaration of yours?

(06:48) yaomomoooooo

(06:48) i'm not getting any younger down hereeeee

(06:49) First off, when did you see Tangled without telling me and why did you refuse me then?

(06:49) And secondly, I just reread the entire conversation to make sure I didn't misread it but I didn't?!

(06:50) pikachu is a very bad influence on me

(06:50) and spiiiiit

(06:51) Tell him I'm proud of him.

(06:51) Okay so, we somehow ended up talking about food and he said he'll take me to eat out soba tonight and that we'll go for Italian next time.

(06:52) I may be spontaneously combusting, Kyouka!

(06:52) as i can tell by the squealing sounds (you're not being as subtle as you pride yourself on being, girl)

(06:53) Less snark more helping me style my hair today?!

(06:53) yeah yeah

(06:55) you're not gonna die, yaomomo. he's prince charming, not the dragon

(06:55) I would have been fine with taming a dragon.

(06:56) you somehow always prove me i don't choose my metaphors wisely

(06:56) shouldn't you be happy there will be more dates?

(06:57) I'm ecstatic and utterly terrified at the same time. Don't pretend you weren't the same before you and Kaminari started going out!

(06:57) i'm just gonna say this once because you are freaking out and will later delete the message and never admit to typing it out

(06:58) but yes, it was nerve wracking. and it got me into a good spot, so it was also worth it

(06:58) what i'm saying is: sometimes, it's okay to just go with the flow. have fun and be yourself

(06:58) Can I be myself but with my hair done by you?

(06:59) sighhhhh

(06:59) of course you can

(06:59) You are *the best*!

(07:00) pineapple pizza levels?

(07:01) Don't flatter yourself.

 **Second Period**

 _(09:03) Todoroki-kun, do you think we should gently inform Uraraka-kun and Midoriya-kun that they are not being exactly subtle?_

 _(09:04) You can scratch the "gently" entirely, it's either we drill it into their heads or Bakugou will explode._

 _(09:04) He does look quite annoyed…_

 _(09:04) Annoyed doesn't even begin to describe him, Iida. He's "fucking pissed", as he earlier yelled._

 _(09:05) But we should appreciate our friends' efforts too!_

 _(09:05) Because holding hands "subtly" under the table makes their blushing valid._

 _(09:05) They are new to this._

 _(09:06) Ah, young love!_

 _(09:06) Spoken like a true 30 year old._

 _(09:06) Says the young man who has a date today._

 _(09:07) Says the guy who has been scouting Class D to see what a certain inventor wants for Christmas._

 _(09:07) Snark doesn't look good on you._

 _(09:08) Really? The last time I checked, I had "dashing looks, young Todoroki!"_

 _(09:08) Did All Might really…?_

 _(09:09) Yeah, after our match against Shiketsu. He came at me all teary eyed on Friday and told me that "I grew so fast", whatever that means._

 _(09:09) It took me half of the lunch break to convince him I didn't have a girlfriend._

 _(09:10) You didn't use to. Past tense, Todoroki-kun._

 _(09:10) I still don't have one, you know?_

 _(09:10) But I thought Yaoyorozu-kun…_

 _(09:11) I do like her, but I have yet to confirm that she feels the same way._

 _(09:11) I'm positive she does!_

 _(09:11) Well then you should finally set the record straight and tell Hatsume how you feel, or you'll be the lone wolf in our group._

 _(09:12) I'm sure I don't know what you are talking about._

 _(09:12) Mhm sure, you keep telling yourself that._

 _(09:12) I'll give you a week._

 _(09:13) Again, I have absolutely no clue what you're talking about._

 _(09:13) Aaaand Bakugou-kun exploded. I'll be right back!_

 _(09:13) It's no use trying to calm him down, Iida._

 _(09:16) He actually tried to bite me?!_

 _(09:16) I am very worried about our classmate's sanity!_

 _(09:17) Well at least Midoriya let go of Uraraka's hand so that's progress._

 _(09:17) Now that they are a couple, I believe my suggestion of Clair de Lune is perfectly justifiable._

 _(09:18) We are not having this discussion again, Iida._

 _(09:18) Besides, I already told Kaminari it would be the Blue Danube._

 _(09:18) I'm certain he's a flexible DJ._

 _(09:19) When he'll play Clair de Lune at your funeral, don't blame me._

 **Lunch Break**

 _(13:14) {we need to talk}_

 **(13:14)! Is this the start of a fight?! Because I have seen you fighting with your wife and I am not prepared for that mental trauma Aizawa!**

 _(13:15) {firstly, me and emi don t fight, i don t waste_ _energy like that. we only have contradictory debates}_

 _(13:16) {and secondly, no. i just had a question}_

 **(13:16)! Okay then, shoot!**

 _(13:17) {you do remember yaoyorozu, don t you?}_

 **(13:17)! Oh yes, she was he lovely young lady who accompanied us for dinner, right?! I must say Aizawa, I wholeheartedly regret her not coming to UA! She would have made a wonderful addition!**

 **(13:18)! She even managed to soften Bakugou!**

 _(13:18) {yeah well, apparently someone in your team attracted her attention}_

 **(13:18)! GASP!**

 _(13:18) {here come the dramatics…}_

 **(13:19)! Young Todoroki lied to me!**

 _(13:19) {huh, had a feeling it d be him}_

 **(13:20)! He told me he didn't have a girlfriend! When did my students start lying to me, Aizawa?! Am I not the parental figure I strive to be?!**

 _(13:20) {you re more like the overbearing mother hen}_

 **(13:21)! Look who's talking! Since when are you invested in your students' love life, anyway?!**

 _(13:22) {since today was the first day in yaoyorozu s academical career when she asked the vice prez to take care of her duties after class}_

 _(13:22) {her best friend has been teasing her about a certain "wonderboy" picking her up}_

 _(13:23) {so i need to put up my scariest face and tell him to listen to her properly. if i need to tie him up for that, i will}_

 **(13:23)! Look at you being a fatherly figure!**

 **(13:24)! Did you know that your students nickname you "Dadzawa"?!**

 _(13:24) {i ll still expel them when i get the chance}_

 **(13:24)! Whatever you say, Dadzawa!**

 _(13:25) {do you want to keep our professional relationship friendly or not, "all might"?}_

 **(13:25)! I know you actually came up with that nickname, Eraserhead!**

 **(13:27)! Getting back to the topic at hand though, I don't think you'll be able to scare young Todoroki!**

 _(13:27) {you re underestimating me}_

 **(13:28)! No, you're underestimating him. He's a good kid, and judging from their interactions last week, he seemed really comfortable around Yaoyorozu!**

 **(13:28)! He takes a while to warm up to people, but he seemed to get along with her really well!**

 _(13:28) {i ll take your word for it}_

 _(13:29) {but if he does something to yaoyorozu, my daughter will be very upset. i think yaoyorozu is her favorite from the whole bunch, given that she eats my ear off with stories about her}_

 **(13:29)! She can tame young Bakugou AND she likes children?! I'm regretting it more and more that she chose Shiketsu!**

 **Sixth Period**

 **(15:32) im deeply concerned**

(15:33) is it because you're still dating me after the fiasco from yesterday?

(15:33) i can't believe dad actually called your parents afterwards to tell them you're wonderful, did you bewitch him?

 **(15:34) cant you just accept that im naturally charming?**

 **(15:34) and no its not because of that**

 **(15:35) well i *am* concerned that you havent yet realized youre too good for me but im not complaining**

(15:35) i still don't get how you can say these things with a poker face

 **(15:36) its a universal truth jirou. its like saying water freezes at 0 degrees**

 **(15:38) it does doesnt it?**

(15:38) lol yeah

(15:39) sorry for the delays, yaomomo's just jittery for today

 **(15:39) KYAAAA YOURE RIGHT OUR SHIP IS SAILING TODAY!**

(15:40) did you actually forget about it…?

 **(15:40) dont judge me**

 **(15:41) bakugou is actually SMILING behind me so i have bigger concerns!**

(15:41) huh

(15:42) are you sure it's not like, a grin? like how serial killers smile before pulling the trigger?

 **(15:42) no no its an actual smile**

 **(15:42) like how i smile when i see you sort of smile**

(15:43) oh

(15:43) damn. camie-sempai really got him

 **(15:43) cant you worm some info outta her?**

 **(15:44) like you know blackmail material?**

(15:44) i'll see what i can do, pikachu

 **(15:46) 3333**

 **After School**

Shouto checked the time for the umpteenth time since stopping in front of the iron gates of Shiketsu. 18:10. _Way too early for their meeting_ , Shouto mentally groaned. The last thing he wanted was to rush her into getting ready - and besides, he could use the time to mentally prepare himself too. He was anxious, the way he wasn't even before volleyball matches. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he was aware of his feelings now - and that his nosy friends' constant reminders still echoed in his head, annoyingly vivid and loud - or maybe it was related to the fact that this was not only Yaoyorozu's, but his first date as well.

Or perhaps Midoriya was right and Shouto was just socially inept. After all, he had received no shortage of weird side glances since he had stopped in front of the iron gate, and his staring at the metal bars as if trying to bore holes into it didn't help his case much, either.

Shouto contemplated whether he should go with plan a) nonchalantly ignoring everyone and waiting until 18:30; plan b) looking around menacingly to keep people from interacting with him, lest he make a fool of himself or plan c) look for a library in which to kill twenty minutes. It was a hard decision to take, and Shouto was weighing the pros and cons of his favourite plan b) when someone addressed him, startling him out of his thoughts.

"Are you here to meet someone?"

Shouto whipped his head around, only to be met with a small girl looking up at his curiously, holding the hand of the woman who had spoken. The latter had seafoam green hair and was sporting a wide, uninhibited smile that somehow put Shouto at ease.

Perhaps it was the trust radiating off her smile that made Shouto square his shoulders and say, "Yes."

The woman gave him a thorough look, examining him from head to toe. It was then that Shouto realized she was trying to guess which school he came from, but found it hard to come to a conclusion, as he had changed out of his uniform and left it in the lockers at UA.

The small girl's eyes suddenly widened with a realization and she pulled onto the woman's hand, beckoning her to bow so she could whisper something in her ear. The words that grazed her earshell made her dark eyes light up, and she murmured a happy, "Is that so?"

Straightening back up, she gave Shouto another toothy smile and said, "Why don't you come in then? You must be freezing!"

The boy didn't have time to reject the offer, as the small girl wrapped her tiny fingers around his pinky and dragged him inside. The security guard nodded at the woman - she was probably a teacher here, or a relative of someone in the dorms, Shouto reasoned - and he found himself being roped into the school grounds by these strangers.

Perhaps his "stranger-danger" senses had been dulled by meeting Yaoyorozu, or maybe the woman that kept smiling at him and scrubbed any confusion evident on his face with a ton of questions and personal information was doing that trick.

"So where are you from?"

"UA," Shouto answered, blinking dully as he contemplated whether he should squeeze the girl's hand back - he had no experience with children, other than his sister's students calling him "five-peepee-man". Clearly a traumatic experience, at the mere mention of which Shouto froze up. This girl, with long white hair escaping her scarf and flowing behind her and her round, big, and somewhat sad eyes, seemed different, however.

"Oh, so you have friends here? I'm glad to know you youngsters aren't creating pointless rivalries! I wish I could drill that into my husband's head, but all he can see is that my team is strong on the volleyball court." She giggled softly, "Well, so he claims, but he's actually fatherly to his students."

Shouto's eyes raised from the girl's curious gaze to the woman's wistful look. "You're a volleyball advisor?"

She snapped her attention back at him and held out two fingers in a victory pose. "Yep," she grinned. "The one and only teacher for Ketsubutsu's team! You're on UA's team too, right? I remember my husband mentioning something about an outstanding setter he remarked in last week's match."

Suddenly, the pieces fell into place in Shouto's head. The woman grinned at him as she held the door out for him, but Shouto stopped in the threshold, muttering, "You're Aizawa's-"

The sound coming from inside cut off his words, and the small girl let go of his hand to quickly slip out of her shoes and run inside.

"Oh come on, Yaomomo!" a voice was protesting, sounding absolutely offended.

"No!" came Yaoyorozu's firm answer, and Shouto had to bite back a smile - she sounded every bit the class president she was. He could see the light on in what must have been the common room Momo kept messaging him about, the core of their bonding moments, but he couldn't make out the distinct silhouettes of anyone in particular.

The small girl had successfully unbuttoned her coat and launched into a run for the common room, leaving her mother to sigh. "She loves Momo-chan way too much."

As if on cue, the girl's excited "Momo-chan!" could be heard from inside, and Shouto realized how many sides of Momo he had yet to see. Her "Eri-chan!" was soft, almost motherly, and Shouto leaned back against the wall, stuffing his hands into his pockets and listening to the bustling voices that kept going at their back and forth.

"Come on Yaomomo, I've been _dying_ to see what you look like if you put makeup on!" the same voice as earlier pleaded.

"No," Yaoyorozu firmly repeated - Shouto could almost see her shaking her head, her ponytail bobbing along.

"At least eyeliner?" the girl begged again.

"Don't push it, Ashido. You know how stubborn Yaomomo can be." That was Jirou's voice, Shouto was positive - no one else could make rolling their eyes audible.

"Don't you want to come inside?" the woman nudged Shouto, pointing towards the light pouring out of the common room. "I'm pretty sure there are still some of Sato's mean cookies left in there!"

Well, there was no way Shouto could refuse those after having seen the pictures Yaoyorozu sent him, was there? That was enough of a reason to convince him to plunge into the unknown - that, and that fact that part of him wanted to have a setting for the Scrabble nights and Disney marathons, wanted to be able to envision Yaoyorozu in the middle of her friends.

He reluctantly shoved himself off the wall and trudged his feet towards the main room.

It was much bigger than he expected and much, much crowded than he could have predicted - two boys were playing computer games in a corner, shoving each other to push towards victory in a game that Shouto recognized as Mario Kart - Natsuo's influence was showing in his useless gaming knowledge - another group was huddled together around a desk, diligently scribbling in their notebooks, and a boy was tuning his bass in the corner.

The biggest density, however, was on the couch placed in the center of the room, where four girls gathered around Yaoyorozu's figure, and where his eyes were also drawn. She wasn't wearing her trademark ponytail - instead, her hair was down, and the ends were slightly curled, but her back was turned to him, so he couldn't see how that framed her face.

Jirou's purple head shot up first, her eyes zeroing in on him. "You really live up to your name, wonderboy," she said as way of greeting.

The entire group jerked their heads towards Shouto, but he ignored their curious glances and watched as Yaoyorozu turned her head towards him slowly. Indeed, the rich locks were falling around her cheeks softly, melting the edge of her sharp cheekbones and caressing her pale skin. Her lips curved into an 'o' shape, almost as if she couldn't quite believe he was there, and she needed a few moments to collect herself enough to say, "Todoroki-san!"

She attempted getting up, and picked the small girl that had nestled into her lap into her arms to properly bow, "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here. I didn't mean to keep you waiting-"

"No, I was here early," Shouto recomposed himself. He felt his mouth dry and heard the buzzing mutters that filled the room, but couldn't bring himself to tear his eyes away from her. She was beautiful - not that that was new information, but with her hair cascading down her shoulders and the sweater that hugged her curves-

"Oh, so Momo-chan was the one you were waiting for?" the green haired woman questioned as she emerged from the kitchen, shoving a plate of cookies under Shouto's nose. "Serve yourself," she said, wiggling the mountain of sweets until he picked up one.

"Yes," he said, eyes darting between her, Yaoyorozu and the rest of the room, as everyone had seemingly shifted their attention to him, abandoning music, homework or even Mario Kart to watch the discussion unfold. Unsure how he was expected to react, Shouto bit into the cookie, giving himself time to think.

The buttery taste of the crumbling cookie filled his mouth, chocolate chips melting against his tongue. "This is delicious," he exclaimed, eyeing the woman - his only safe bet to not being bombarded with questions right now - to confirm whether he could take another. When she smiled, he picked up the next cookie and added, "Much better than my batch."

"Well, nobody can outdo Sato, so don't feel bad," Yaoyorozu offered, putting the girl down and patting her head. "I'll be back later and then we can continue the story where we left off last time, okay, Eri-chan?"

Shouto watched the small girl nod energetically, her sad eyes lighting up with the promise of spending more time with the older girl. Yaoyorozu kissed her head and straightened up, avoiding her friends' wriggling eyebrows and pushing her way past the eyeliner a pink haired girl still held up. She stopped a step before reaching him, and Shouto suddenly realized that pink was dusting her cheekbones, and she was twiddling with her thumbs. Casting a glance behind her, he realized her friends were brewing a thousand and one questions to ask, and his guts told him he didn't want to answer any of those.

"Shall we go?" he offered. She nodded shyly, so Shouto turned around and bowed towards the woman. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Yaoyorozu bowed as well, "It's good to have you back, Aizawa-san!"

"I told you, Emi is just fine." They raised their heads to be met with another smile, warm and recomforting. Maybe this is where Yaoyorozu learned to smile like that, Shouto pondered. "Have fun, you two!" she added, waving them off.

Shouto was relieved to be able to leave the common room without having to put his expertly skills of dodging queries to use. In the poorly lit hallway, Yaoyorozu finally loosened a breath and sheepishly said, "I'm sorry, they're a very nosy bunch."

"My friends are no better," he answered in what he hoped was a reassuring tone. Apparently, it worked, because Yaoyorozu gave him a meek smile.

Finally alone, he drank her in: the way the fuzzy light made her skin look even more like finely crafted porcelain, making Shouto wonder whether it was as soft to the touch as it looked; the long eyelashes that fanned her high cheekbones - if not for having witnessed the prior discussion, Shouto could have sworn she wore eyeliner - the heart shaped lips that stretched to poke dimples in her cheeks; the soft flush that curtained her skin, breathing life into the face that looked like a masterful portrait.

True to her word, Yaoyorozu was indeed wearing a plain beige skirt that reached up to right above her knees, complete with knee high socks and a turtleneck sweater that made Shouto reconsider his definition of _beautiful._ It was probably more accurate to say that Yaoyorozu was _gorgeous_ , enough to earn the title of "first girl to make his mouth go dry and make him fumble for words."

He was trying to squeeze the compliment out of him as nonchalantly as he did when he first saw her facebook profile, but with her obsidian eyes, sparkling even in the darkness and eyeing him expectantly, he wasn't sure if he could say anything to do her justice.

Instead, he leaned in, pulled by an invisible force that beckoned him closer, as if he could find something he was longing for if he touched her. The smell of her perfume wafted into his nostrils, sweet and pregnant, pulling him in closer. Her eyes widened, but as their noses almost bumped, her eyelids fluttered closed and Shouto felt her fist knotting into his jacket, and her lips were tauntingly close and closer _and-_

"Bring her back by ten." The neon lights above their heads flickered to life and Shouto jerked back into his initial position, a good half meter away from her, the place where her hand had been suddenly feeling chilly. She was now clutching the hem of her skirt.

"If you even _think_ about hurting her, I'll make sure I'll haunt you even in my afterlife," Jirou added, crossing her arms over her chest. "But if you manage to get blackmail material useful for me, I wouldn't mind finally moving you up into the "golden badge" category."

"Kyouka!" Yaoyorozu protested, throwing daggers at her friend with her look. "I'm not a child!"

"Speaking of which, Wonderboy, she doesn't like sitting at the end of the row-"

"We're leaving," Yaoyorozu announced, picking up her purse with one hand and wrapping her other around Shouto's wrist, pulling him out the door.

"Back by ten!" Jirou yelled again after them, but Shouto couldn't find neither the words, nor the voice to answer her.

He had almost _kissed_ Yaoyorozu, and he didn't know whether to be horrified by his boldness or utterly disappointed that Jirou had interrupted them.

 **/**

"Two tickets for Coco. The name under which the reservation was made is Todoroki."

Momo tightened her grip on the strap of her purse. Their date had just properly begun and she was already a bundle of nerves. Was it just her imagination or did Todoroki actually try _kissing_ her? He had been so close she could distinctly see the wrinkled skin around his scar and the way white and red tresses mingled just above the bridge of his nose, and his warm breath washing over her and-

She shook her head, locking that memory in a corner of her mind. Todoroki was approaching her, waving the two tickets in the air - that was what she was supposed to focus on. The movie.

"Would you like some snacks?" he asked, pointing towards the display.

She eyed the selection and instantly decided when her eyes fell on the nachos. "The double menu!" she told the employee, pointing towards the electronic menu.

"Glad to see you're not a popcorn heathen," Todoroki teased, earning a look that said "Please, I have good taste" from Momo.

"Cheese or salsa?"

"Cheese," Momo immediately replied, only to realize that Todoroki had said "Salsa" at the same time. Turning her head around, Momo exclaimed, "You're the heathen here!"

"Excuse you, salsa is objectively better. It's spicy and much more consistent," Todoroki argued matter-of-factly.

"But cheese melts in your mouth, and it perfectly contrasts the salty taste of nachos!" Upon Todoroki's nose crinkling in disgust, Momo crossed her arms and deduced, "You've never even tried it."

"It looks sticky and yucky, and I don't like y-words."

Momo couldn't help but snort, "You're being such a child!" Turning back to the mildly amused employee, she said, "We can get two sauces with the double menu, right? Make it one salsa and one cheese."

"You're ruining perfectly good snacks," Todoroki accused her, taking out a bill to pay for their food as Momo carefully cradled the large plastic box between her hands.

"No, I'm simply cultivating you, Todoroki-san! Just trust me on this one."

 **/**

"It could have been worse," Shouto begrudgingly admitted as he chewed on the cheese-dipped crisp.

Yaoyorozu raised her eyebrows teasingly, "Which actually translates to…?"

"I don't hate it," Shouto concluded, watching her forming pout with satisfaction. She poked his shoulder in annoyance, taking a chips from his side in revenge. "Okay fine, it's actually good."

Even if he hadn't meant it, the triumphant smile on her face would have been absolutely worth it.

The more he saw of her expressive face, the more he resented Jirou for preventing him from finding out what expression she would have made if he had kissed her. She did give him some good advice, however, as Shouto was careful to seat himself at the end of the row, so he guessed Jirou wasn't in his bad books just yet.

"Okay, so I read that Coco was actually supposed to be marketing "La Dia de los Muertos", "The Day of the Dead" but apparently they got heavily criticized for it so they stopped production, brought Lee Unkrich in, the same guy behind Finding Nemo and Toy Story 3, and he started researching Mexican culture," Yaoyorozu explained, her face lighting up with each fact she spouted out. "The animators travelled to Mexico four times during production! Their hard work paid off though, because Coco became the highest grossing movie of all times in Mexico!"

Shouto felt his lips curving into a lopsided smile. "You really did your research on this movie."

Yaoyorozu's cheeks were tainted with pink, but it looked like red in the yellowish light of the cinema, and Shouto had to suppress the sudden urge to lean over and run a finger over the outline of her beautiful features. Perhaps he was staring at her too intently, because she tucked her loose hair behind an ear and defensively said, "I told you I've been dying to watch this movie for a while."

"Yeah," Shouto said, still mesmerised by the way the light reflected by the huge screen with advertisements played around her face, the line of her jaw and her perfectly sculptured nose. Most people had clumsy noses, almost as if they were the last thing Mother Nature added, when she was already tired and said "Oh well, I'll just wing it!" With Yaoyorozu, however, each inch was carefully planned, and her nose was no exception.

"Look, it's starting!" she said, patting his arm to return his attention to the screen. It was with reluctance that Shouto complied.

 **/**

Watching a movie with Yaoyorozu in person was nothing like their rabbit session. The colourful scenery of the land of the dead reflected in her obsidian eyes, each joke or small Easter Egg tugging at the corners of her lips. She looked just like Miguel when he watched de la Cruz on TV, and she tapped her fingers along to the music on her thigh, mouthing the lyrics as she began learning them.

Shouto would have been content with watching her watch the movie, except Disney always outdid themselves, and with help from Pixar, Coco was announcing itself to be a masterpiece. He was disappointed the moment he noticed where the movie was going, and muttered, "I bet de la Cruz is his great great great grandfather."

"Too obvious," Yaoyorozu muttered, her eyes trained on the screen. Her intuition was usually point on, so Shouto decided to trust her and watched the rest unfold: the meeting with Imelda ("She's more badass than Kida," he muttered, earning a nod of approval from Yaoyorozu), Hector's song ("So beautiful," she whispered under her breath, her eyes suddenly glassy) and up to the performance on stage.

And it was then, when Miguel was all alone on the stage, looking frightened and unsure what to do, when Shouto felt a hand covering his own, squeezing his fingers softly. She was cold, just like she was that night, frozen fingers melting into his balmy touch. Shouto watched the way she bit on her lower lip with trepidation, and turned his hand so his palm would meet hers, lacing their fingers together and raising his eyes back to the screen in time to hear Miguel's yell and the catchy tune of Poco Loco bursting into the room.

He wasn't sure what magic Yaoyorozu was working on him, but when she turned around, singing with the rest of the audience, Shouto starting humming along as well, and felt her hand clutching tighter around his.

 **/**

"Remember Me" was officially the saddest Disney song Momo had ever heard, and she felt the tears burning down her cheeks, leaving behind a trail of salty water for the next tear to roll on. Her vision was hazy and she was fumbling in her purse for tissues, when she suddenly felt Todoroki's grip on her hand tighten, and whipped her eyes to him.

Todoroki was staring at the screen, his jaw set in a tight line, a single tear hanging down his eyelashes and threatening to spill over. It was then that Momo realized how close to home this movie hit for him, the message of family and not forgetting your loved ones, reestablishing lost connections, and she felt more tears invade her vision as Todoroki's tear rolled down his cheek.

She gave up on searching for her tissues and waited patiently for the end credits.

 **/**

"Waw," Momo eloquently managed by the time they were walking out of the dark room, still pressing her napkin to her damp cheeks. "That was a rollercoaster."

Todoroki pulled her closer as a group of kids passed by them and nodded. "It feels much better crafted than many of their latest entries, with heavy plot and a very good twist."

"I must admit, I didn't see it coming. Well, I also hadn't anticipated this many tears," she joked, pocketing her napkin and giving Todoroki a feeble smile. "Sorry for being such a crybaby-"

Her words stopped in her throat, then slowly sank into her insides when Todoroki leaned down and pressed his lips to her right cheek. There was no warning, no way Momo could have prepared herself for the thrilling feeling of having his breath fan over her skin, sending a trail of goosebumps in its wake.

He pulled back just as suddenly, leaving her to wonder whether the peck even happened at all or it was merely her wishful thinking getting the better of her. When he muttered, "Salty," she knew he had kissed her cheek indeed and her entire face was set on fire. Kyouka was right: he wasn't good for her heart.

"Yaoyorozu?" he asked, tilting his head innocently as if he was _not_ the reason for her crisis.

"Restroom," she managed, covering her face with the hand he wasn't holding, and let herself be dragged by him, softly burying her head into his shoulder as he lead the way. If this kept up, she was going to melt into oblivion.

 **/**

Shouto skid to a halt, staring incredulously ahead of him. The spiky hair was undeniably Bakugou's, but was the other blonde-

"Todoroki-san?" Yaoyorozu asked, trying to make sense of why they suddenly stopped on their way to dinner.

At the mention of his name, Bakugou snapped around, as did his companion. Yaoyorozu finally noticed them too, and she raised a hand in salute. "Utsushimi-san! Bakugou-san! Fancy meeting you here!"

Bakugou looked even more pissed off then when Deku called him "Kacchan" as he turned around, suddenly letting go of Shiketsu's manager's hand. Not that it went unnoticed by Shouto, a thing he made sure to signal through a smirk. Bakugou sneered at him, revealing his teet threateningly, but his date was nothing if not a ball of positive energy.

"Ohh, Momo-chan! And you-you're totas the lit setter of UA, fam! I didn't know you were dating him, Momo-chan~" she pouted. "I thought there were no secrets between us girls, 'cause that's so not cool!"

Shouto felt Momo fidget by his side and gave her hand a squeeze, not entirely sure how to answer to the weird lingo this girl employed either. To his bewilderment, Bakugou grabbed her hand and dragged her away, speaking over her shoulder, "Come on Cam, we don't wanna be here for a display of romantic crap."

"But Bakuboo!"

Shouto looked after the two, too puzzled to react in any way. "What was…?" Yaoyorozu tried, still not entirely comprehending what had just transpired. Shouto shook his head and started walking again, prepared to erase this weird meeting from his memory forever.

 **/**

"Where are we going, Todoroki-san?" Yaoyorozu asked, a small smile and teasingly scrunched eyebrows completing her quizzical tone.

"We're almost there," he answered, rounding a corner into a peaceful street and stopping in front of an wooden little restaurant, a curtain taking the place of the usual door. The warmth of traditional cuisine scented steam wafted into the air, billowing smoke coming out of a chimney into the otherwise dull night, and the sound of muffled chatter reaching their ears.

It was one of Shouto's favourite places, this old shop where he sometimes dined with Fuyumi and Natsuo, on summer nights they spent strolling aimlessly through the city or after Fuyumi had an especially hard day at work. It was where they had celebrated his admission into UA, where Natsuo presented them his girlfriend and where Fuyumi showed them her teaching licence, but most importantly, it was a place their Father didn't know.

He pushed the curtain away, motioning for Yaoyorozu to walk in first and following right behind. He watched as she trailed the small local, her eyes tracking the small, traditional setting and kotatsus under which people rested, nursing their drinks or ordering another helping, chatting amiably with the staff and _belonging_ to a place where time was irrelevant and work forgotten.

"Shouto-chan!" the old owner noticed his arrival, waving him over. "Haven't seen you in a while! Brought a new friend?"

Shouto nodded as Yaoyorozu bowed. "Nice to meet you!"

"Please kid, no need to be so formal. So, what's it gonna be?" he asked as he returned his attention to Shouto, face breaking into a smile with one missing tooth and much kindness to fill the hole.

"The usual. And she will have the same." He turned to smile at Yaoyorozu and quoted her, "Trust me on this one."

 **/**

"I have to admit, it was tasty."

"Just tasty?"

"Fine, delicious," Momo gave in, chuckling softly. "But part of the taste was discussing Coco with you over good food. And the fact that the owner was so warm!"

Todoroki nodded, something akin to affection sparkling in his eyes. "'He's known me and my siblings for almost a decade now. Mom used to bring us to eat there - I think the old man used to be a friend of my grandfather's."

Momo squeezed his hand lightly, suddenly aware of how many sides of Todoroki she had yet to discover - and the long, unknown way that stretched before them. She looked up at the starry sky, clouded by the same scent of mystery, as dark as the path they were working on, illuminated by lone stars - speckles oh hope.

It was so cold it looked like even those guiding stars were covered in a thin layer of frost, and Momo exhaled deeply, watching her breath form bizarre shapes into the wintry air. "Do you remember what you said about aiming for the stars, Todoroki-san?"

He hummed, following her gaze, and Momo came to a halt as they reached Shiketsu's iron gates.

"I was thinking about it tonight. That, and how constellations are formed between stars that are light years away, stars that probably don't even know about each other's existence. Maybe we don't need to actually _aim_ for the stars - we already are like stars, far away stars that twinkle for so long without knowing they are interconnected." She unglued her eyes from the sky and smiled sheepishly, "I'm not making any sense, am I?"

Todoroki was still looking at the sky, entranced by something invisible, but that Momo could feel, too. "No, I think you are. We can see the bigger picture from here, like how stars are connected or how they move. We probably see them more clearly than we see ourselves."

"Yes." There was a sort of eerie beauty in the scary immensity of the universe, and how powerless they were in comparison. But… "I could have gone my entire life without meeting you, and that would have been really dull. I don't know who saw our connection - I don't believe there is such a thing as an unchangeable fate, a path already carved for you to walk on, but I'm grateful for whatever constellation we were part of."

Todoroki finally looked back at her, his eyes set in a determined look, just like when he was playing volleyball. "I don't know why I met you the way I did, Yaoyorozu, nor do I know whether we were quote-unqoute meant to be, but I meant it when I said I'm glad you're my coincidence. Because I really like you."

Momo felt her breath hitch, but the words flew out of her anyway, "I like you too, Todoroki-san."

And that was all it took, really. A series of snippets and coincidences, a wrong to make so many rights, a mistake that led her to _this_ , this thing she was certain wasn't a mistake. This entire night had been easy, natural, as if it was only a matter of time until they finally said the obvious and neatly exposed their feelings. All the worries, all of the countless questions she'd mulled over, all of the frenetic doubts she had poured out in Kyouka's presence seemed dumb, and Momo found herself reaching out to place a kiss on Todoroki's cheek.

When she pulled back, she held his curious gaze and smiled widely, so wide her cheeks hurt, but her heart soared.

 **/**

(21:34) sooo?

(21:35) come on girl, how was it?!

(21:46) Perfect.

(21:46) I'll tell you once I walk back inside.

(21:47) damn you sound so lovestruck

(21:47) hot chocolate, cookies and girl talk?

(21:48) You know the way to my heart.

 **My Nosy Friends**

 **Midoriya:** How was your date, Todoroki?

 **Iida:** How was it indeed?

 **Uraraka:** Come on Todoroki we re dying here!

 **Todoroki:** I'm no match for her.

 **Uraraka:** Sounds like someone s got it bad~~

 **Todoroki:** I'd normally say I don't want to hear that from you.

 **Todoroki:** But I'm in a very good mood right now, and I won't ruin it.

 **Iida:** Ah, then that means we should skype and personally hear all of this!

 **Midoriya:** Sounds like a good plan!

 **Todoroki:** And you wonder why I changed the group name…

* * *

AN: Hello again!

So. I watched Coco. I had a lot of feels. Can you tell? (There is a clear divide between the parts written after and before coco and I regret nothing).  
But yes yes, the elephant in the room: they confessed, they almost kissed, don't hate Kyouka (she knows what she's doing and Aizawa later went "did you talk with him?" "wonderboy fears me" "Perfect" because yes, Kyouka and Aizawa are the founders of the Todomomo fandom and I am a sap) Jokes aside, I know the last part was very sappy but I needed it to connect to chapter 10 for obvious reasons and because parallels are my jam, so yeah. You hopefully liked it?  
Anyway, the other easter egg was bakucamie~ No worries, I know I kept teasing them but next chapter is theirs. Well, theirs and Natsuo and Fuyumi's because they finally appear?! Cheer for them guys (cheer for me so I don't ruin their characters wth am I getting myself into...)  
But enough rambles! Chap 16 was a roller coaster and I hope you liked it! Till next time, back to texting format, lovely readers~


	17. Chapter 17

AN: In which Natsuo yearns for his little brother's love , Todoroki is #done and Bakugou is emotionally constipated.

(Prepare for maaaany characters)  
Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shouto  
Bold is **Midoria**  
Italics underlined is Iida  
Underlined is Jirou  
Bold underlined is **Kaminari**  
[Italics Underlined] is Fuyumi  
Bold Italics Underlined is **Natsuo**  
***Bold underlined*** is *****Bakugou*****  
•••Bold italics••• is **•••Camie•••**

* * *

 **17\. Siblings and Spreading the Love (I Didn't Tease BakuCamie for Nothing)**

* * *

 **Tuesday, 21st December**

 **Tuesday Morning**

 _ **(06:24) fuyumi-nee?**_

 _ **(06:24) fuyumi-neeeeeeeee!**_

 _(06:28) [Why are my brothers so loud…?]_

 _ **(06:28) you're just getting old (=^**_ _ **･**_ _ **ω**_ _ **･**_ _ **^=)**_

 _(06:29) [I'll just pretend I never read that, I don't have the energy to get angry.]_

 _(06:30) [Waw. Maybe I really *am* getting old…]_

 _(06:30) [Anyway, what's up?]_

 _ **(06:31) i am very concerned for our youngest brother**_

 _ **(06:31) he has been acting… odd**_ _ **(((**_ _ **)))**_

 _(06:32) [Now that you mentioned it…]_

 _(06:32) [He bought Christmas gifts.]_

 _ **(06:33) gaaaaaaaasp**_ _ **＼**_ _ **(º □ º l|l)/**_

 _ **(06:33) this is more serious than i thought, nee-chan!**_

 _(06:34) [He also had his friends over and they baked cookies this weekend…]_

 _ **(06:34) this is so not our shouto**_

 _ **(06:34) double gaaaasp**_ _ **＼**_ _ **(º □ º l|l)/**_

 _ **(06:35) he was abducted by aliens and replaced with a very convincing double**_ _ **(O_O;)**_ _ **!**_

 _(06:35) [Natsuo…]_

 _(06:35) [He seemed to genuinely have fun!]_

 _(06:36) [And Tensei told me his little brother was going on about Shou-chan making new friends!]_

 _ **(06:36) nee-chan… you don't think…?**_ _ **(**_ _ **￢‿￢**_ _ **)**_

 _(06:36) [What?]_

 _ **(06:37) it's obviously a girl!**_ _ **(**_ _ **ﾉ**_ _ **´ з `)**_ _ **ノ**_

 _(06:37) [Huh?]_

 _ **(06:37) think about it!**_

 _ **(06:38) xmas presents? Cookies?**_ _ **(**_ _ **ﾉ**_ _ **´ з `)**_ _ **ノ**_

 _ **(06:38) he told me i wasn't "the worst, just lowkey annoying" brother yesterday?**_ _ **(⊙_⊙)**_

 _(06:38) [... Lowkey?]_

 _ **(06:39) maybe his exact words were "i don't feel like killing you, just taping your mouth shut" but that's besides the point**_

 _ **(06:39) he's opening up!**_ _ **(⊙_⊙)**_

 _(06:40) [He did tell me he loved me last night before going to sleep. It really warmed my heart…]_

 _ **(06:40) see?**_

 _(06:40) [I still fail to see what that has to do with a girl.]_

 _ **(06:41) when you're in love, you become a better person~~**_ _ **(✯◡✯)**_

 _ **(06:41) you know i quit smoking after i started dating mei!**_

 _(06:42) [Natsuo, I just don't think Shou-chan is that big of a romantic…]_

 _ **(06:42) fine then, wanna bet?**_ _ **(✯◡✯)**_

 _(06:42) [What?]_

 _ **(06:43) let's snoop a bit. if shouto has a sweetheart, they must text, right?! so if he gets any love declarations, i win!**_ _ **(▔∀▔)╯**_

 _(06:43) [You win what exactly?]_

 _ **(06:44) hmmmm**_

 _ **(06:44) ah, i know!**_

 _ **(06:44) if i win, YOU have to be the one that teaches dad how to use messenger**_ _ **(▔∀▔)╯**_

 _(06:45) [You cannot be serious…]_

 _(06:45) [You know he just wants social media so he can get a hold of Shouto, right?]_

 _ **(06:47) i know he's been pestering me about "what is fb? is it like a new term the younger generation uses for lewd things" (which was just an eww discussion to have cause he actually tried to give the talk™. i'm 19, fuyumi-nee. 19!**_ _ **(x_x)**_ _ **)**_

 _ **(06:47) i obviously don't want to go through that drama again**_

 _ **(06:47) so good luck!**_ _ **(**_ _ **︶▽︶**_ _ **)╭**_

 _(06:48) [That sounds so much like Father it's actually scary…]_

 _(06:48) [What makes you so sure you'll win, anyway?]_

 _ **(06:48) i'm a guy, i know how these things work**_

 _(06:49) [Shou-chan isn't the typical hormonal teenager and you know that.]_

 _ **(06:49) we'll see about that...**_

 _ **(06:50) good luck, fuyumi-nee~~**_

 **/**

(07:24) aren't *you* a ray of sunshine?

(07:24) It *is* a beautiful day, after all.

(07:25) does the reason of your happiness start with todo and end with roki?

(07:25) wait, i've made this joke before, i need to up my game!

(07:26) eh, i'll just consider myself lucky that a) you've finally realized your disney rambles charmed him and aren't going to keep worrying about "what if i don't meet his standards, kyouka?!" (which was bullshit btw you're welcome) and b) he isn't at shiketsu so i don't have to see you two being grossly sweet with each other ewwwww

(07:26) a) I'm sorry and thank you for listening to me and b) just no. You know how I feel about public display of affection.

(07:27) correction: i knew how you felt about it before you got a bf

(07:29) wipe that pout off your face girl, it makes me feel guilty. you know i'm just teasing you

(07:29) i'm actually happy for you. you deserve to be treated well

(07:29) Thank you.

(07:30) It still feels like a dream…

(07:31) wait until you meet his family, it'll feel like a nightmare then

(07:31) You can never stop yourself from bursting my bubble, huh?

(07:32) nope, your facial expressions are just priceless, yaomomo~

(07:32) For the sake of a good relationship, I hope you don't tease Kaminari-san the same way.

(07:32) his reactions are even *funnier* than yours

(07:33) don't worry tho, i'm kind when it counts

(07:33) Oh?

(07:33) have you ever heard me insulting my bed?

(07:33) Such a good life motto.

(07:34) i'll get it framed one day and teach my offsprings to respect those who never let them down

(07:34) Fluffy pillows being really high up that list, right?

(07:34) you know it!

 **First Period**

 _(08:04) I think my brother finally went insane._

(08:05) Huh. Your morning greetings are getting increasingly creative, I don't know if I can keep up.

 _(08:05) Good morning, Yaoyorozu. Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?_

(08:06) Nice try, Todoroki-san.

(08:06) So, what was that about your brother?

 _(08:07) He's been following me very closely this morning… It was actually creepy. I mean, he even tried to hug me? I truly don't know what he's after, but it's clearly *not* good._

(08:08) Or perhaps he's touched starved and wants to show you he cares?

 _(08:08) He's got a girlfriend, he's clearly *not* touch starved. Besides, he could have hugged Fuyumi-nee if he really wanted to._

 _(08:09) I'm certain he has ulterior motives and I'm not sure I want to know what those are._

(08:09) Come on, Todoroki-san, it's Christmas! Spread some love!

 _(08:09) You sound so much like Fuyumi-nee it's scary. I'm afraid of the day you two will meet._

(08:10) Does she have photos of you when you were little?

 _(08:13) No comment._

(08:13) She definitely does! Oh, now I want to meet her!

 _(08:13) Please don't… She already showed those to Midoriya and Iida, I don't think I can take the embarrassment a second time._

(08:14) It's only normal to want to know more about your boyfriend.

(08:18) Todoroki-san…?

 _(08:18) Sorry it's just. It's the first time you called me that and I didn't expect it._

(08:18) Oh. I'm sorry?

 _(08:19) Random fact?_

(08:19) But you apologized first!

 _(08:20) Midoriya says I've been smiling at my phone "for a solid 3 minutes and 23 seconds" and Uraraka muttered "The cure to cancer," whatever that means._

(08:20) I think I'm with Uraraka's on this one.

 _(08:21) What?_

(08:21) Nevermind.

(08:21) So my random fact is that me and Kyouka are making a playlist for the Christmas Party in the dorms!

 _(08:22) Are you copying us?_

(08:22) We are not!

(08:23) Okay, maybe a little. But it's not as festive as the UA Party, and we aren't doing the Secret Santa. Instead, we decided to have bonding time with the Aizawas!

 _(08:23) That's actually… sweet._

 _(08:24) I didn't know Aizawa had a daughter, or that he was married, for that matter._

(08:24) We haven't gotten their story yet either! Rumor has it that it was Mrs. Aizawa who proposed, but everytime Ashido asks her, she just laughs.

(08:25) As for Eri-chan, she's actually their adoptive daughter. She was a foster child and her former family was abusive. Aizawa-san met her by accident, but her eyes were just so sad he knew he had to get her out.

 _(08:26) So he is soft after all._

 _(08:26) She seemed very attached to you._

(08:26) She's lovely!

(08:27) We have reading nights sometimes, which is basically Ashido and I roleplaying her favourite fairy tales and Kyouka teaching her new songs.

 _(08:27) It sounds like a family._

(08:27) Does it? I never did that with my family.

 _(08:28) Really?_

(08:28) Yes well, my father was almost always away on business meetings, and Mom was pretty strict.

(08:29) But she did read for me. She had this really soothing voice that she'd use to impersonate all the characters, and then we'd always spend long hours discussing books.

 _(08:29) Is that why you love reading?_

(08:30) Perhaps…

 _(08:30) When Mom was still home, she'd watch movies with us and then sing us our favourite songs from them._

 _(08:31) Mine has always been I'm Still Here, and I always fought with Natsu-nii because he wanted Mom to sing Everybody Wants to Be a Cat._

(08:31) So that's why *you* love Disney.

(08:32) I guess we're really simple, after all.

 _(08:32) Yeah… I miss those days._

(08:32) Maybe it's not the same, but you still have your siblings. And your friends too, who seem just as… rambunctious?

 _(08:33) I guess._

 _(08:33) Huh, this got pretty emotional._

(08:34) Well, it *is* Christmas.

 _(08:34) I may like this part of Christmas. It somehow feels natural to share this with you._

 _(08:35) Thank you, Yaoyorozu._

(08:35) Mhm, anytime!

 **Second Period**

 **(09:03) ***So you're dating Ponytail?*****

 _(09:05) An unexpected conversation starter, but I fail to see how that is any of your business, Bakugou._

 **(09:05) ***Just answer the fucking question!*****

 _(09:06) Are you dating Shiketsu's manager?_

 **(09:06) ***Oh fuck off!*****

 _(09:06) Then I guess you'll never find out._

 **(09:07) ***I swear to God, you're fucking obnoxious, Half'n'Half!*****

 _(09:07) I try._

 **(09:07) ***AGH! Fine!*****

 **(09:08) ***Yes, I am dating Camie, and I need help to buy her a Christmas present and before you ask NO, there's NO fucking way in hell I'm asking those dipshits for help because if they find out I'm dating her, I won't hear the fucking end of it.*****

 **(09:09) ***Happy now?!*****

 **(09:09) ***Stop grinning for fuck's sake!*****

 _(09:09) Are you so desperate you actually shared this?_

 **(09:10) ***I realized it'd be easier to kill you than that loud mouthed idiot after this is all said and done, so I'm not particularly worried.*****

 _(09:10) If you do, Midoriya will avenge me - we have a pact - and it won't be pretty._

 _(09:11) Petty threats aside, what does Yaoyorozu have to do with this?_

 **(09:11) ***You don't think I'd ask YOU for help, do you? Even fucking Deku calls you socially inept.*****

 _(09:11) How do you have a girlfriend again?_

 **(09:12) ***The real question here is how do YOU have one? Especially one that seems half-decent.*****

 _(09:12) I'll take that as an insult. Yaoyorozu is perfect, not "half-decent"._

 **(09:12) ***Bleah, you're one of those too!*****

 _(09:13) One of "those"?_

 **(09:13) ***Cheesy motherfuckers.*****

 **(09:13) ***You should thank the gods she doesn't study here, cause I don't think I could have taken both you and Deku without exploding.*****

 _(09:14) You kinda did explode yesterday, though._

 **(09:14) ***What?! I was just annoyed.*****

 _(09:14) The sight of a truly angry Bakugou must be ugly. Don't show it to Shiketsu's manager._

 **(09:15) ***Why am I even wasting my time talking to you? I just need Ponytail's help.*****

 _(09:15) You want me to talk to Yaoyorozu to help you pick a present for Utsushimi?_

 **(09:16) ***You fucking finally caught up. Thought you were smarter, Icy-Hot.*****

 _(09:16) In my defense, I thought you'd be smart enough to realize I won't accept such a stupid request either._

 **(09:16) ***WHAT?!*****

 _(09:17) You don't think I'll let Yaoyorozu talk to you, right? That'd be like throwing an angel and a demon together, Bakugou._

 _(09:17) I'll give you a hint: she's the angel._

 **(09:18) ***What the actual fuck, Todoroki?!*****

 **(09:20) ***You're chortling, you asshole, and I DON'T FUCKING LIKE IT!*****

 _(09:20) Your dejected face is a sight for sore eyes, Bakugou._

 _(09:21) Since you seem to care so much (which you suck at, by the way, but I'll give you points for trying because it's probably your first time) I suppose I could help you._

 _(09:21) But I do have a question._

 **(09:22) ***Just hurry the hell up and say it already.*****

 _(09:22) How did you even start dating her?_

 **(09:22) ***That's it?! You just want my story?! You're such a sappy shit.*****

 _(09:23) Actually I wanted to know if she had some sort of psychological trauma caused by you so I could call a therapist._

 _(09:23) But sure, whatever helps you sleep at night._

 **(09:24) ***I really fucking hate you, you know that?*****

 _(09:24) Your dislike is clear as day, but I am still your setter, so you may want to pay more attention to your wording._

 **(09:25) ***What-fucking-ever.*****

 **(09:27) ***Met her at my cram school. She wasn't as annoying as the rest of the bunch. Bumped into her once and kinda spilled my coffee over her, so she asked me to buy her lunch in retaliation. We hit it off from there. End of story.*****

 _(09:27) That was very dry, but I suppose I shouldn't have had expectations from someone so emotionally constipated._

 **(09:28) ***What the fuck did you call me?!*****

 _(09:29) This is Yaoyorozu's_ _number_ _. And for the record, your curses are getting stale, you may want to get your imagination checked. Or read more, for that matter._

 **(09:29) ***You really do have a deathwish!*****

 **/**

 _(09:27) If Bakugou contacts you, he doesn't want to kill you._

(09:34) Thank you, that was very reassuring, Todoroki-san!

 _(09:37) He's actually quite love struck and is trying to get his girlfriend a present, but no one taught him how to ask nicely._

(09:37) That's so cute!

(09:38) I'll do my best to help!

 _(09:38) If you can also get the story of how he started dating your manager, I wouldn't mind._

(09:39) Do you want to blackmail him?

 _(09:46) No comment._

 **Third Period**

 **(10:02) ***Yo Ponytail. This is Bakugou Katsuki.*****

(10:04) Ah yes, Bakugou-san! Todoroki-san has told me: you need help with a present, right?

(10:05) I'll try asking Utsushimi-senpai during the lunch break and get back to you. Is that alright?

 **(10:05) ***Yeah, it's okay.*****

(10:06) Glad to help!

 **(10:08) ***How come you're half decent yet you're dating Half'n'Half?! Did he blackmail you?*****

(10:08) Todoroki-san is a wonderful person. Please don't badmouth him!

(10:09) Besides, I find it more surprising that you're dating Utsushimi-senpai, Bakugou-san.

 **(10:09) ***What's that supposed to mean?!*****

(10:09) Nothing bad, I assure you.

(10:10) It's just, Utsushimi-senpai is very upbeat, and that doesn't seem to be the aura you exude.

 **(10:10) ***Hah right. She's just putting up a front.*****

(10:11) Excuse me?

 **(10:11) ***Come on, Ponytail, do you really think Camie was happy that Shiketsu lost that match? They worked fucking hard for it, and she was pretty bummed, you know?*****

(10:12) Is that why you asked her out yesterday, Bakugou-san?

 **(10:12) ***I swear, you and Icy-Hot are both so fucking slow with these things. How did you even start going out?*****

(10:13) I just like him, and I'm lucky that he likes me too.

 **(10:13) ***Lucky my ass! That bastard forgot breaks were over because he was fucking texting you!*****

 **(10:14) ***But then again, I guess you motivated him enough that he won. If you can convince him that dumps are fucking lame, maybe we could strike a deal, Ponytail.*****

(10:14) Tempting offer, but I'd rather not lie to him. I thought that was a smart move.

 **(10:15) ***Fucking showy is what that was. Fucking bastard, thinks he's all fucking tough.*****

(10:15) Language, Bakugou-san. If you still want me to talk to Utsushimi-senpai, that is.

 **(10:16) ***Tch, whatever.*****

(10:16) Thank you! I'll contact you later.

 **/**

(10:13) Bakugou-san is actually soft. I believe he truly likes Utsushimi-senpai.

 _(10:15) Oh no, are you siding with him, Yaoyorozu?_

(10:15) Well, he did give me some pretty valuable information about you…

 _(10:16) I thought you were supposed to be my girlfriend, Yaoyorozu. Maybe we need a contract too. Rule #1: Don't worm (untrue) information about me out of my acquaintances._

(10:16) Firstly, I didn't worm it out of him. Secondly, I doubt it was untrue. And thirdly, you know you can't make a bad impression on me, right?

(10:17) I mean, you were already making a stellar impression when I didn't even know your name.

 _(10:17) I'll believe you. For now._

 _(10:17) But please don't say scary things like Bakugou being soft again. I'll have nightmares._

(10:18) You two are truly incorrigible. When will you admit you're actually friends?

 _(10:18) I don't lie like that, Yaoyorozu._

(10:19) …

 **Lunch Break**

 _(13:34) Bakugou-kun and Todoroki-kun have been glaring at each other ever since lunch break started. Do you think we should intervene?_

 **(13:35) I don't believe I could help? If anything, I'd only make Kacchan more angry.**

 _(13:35) Or, you could perhaps redirect his anger from Todoroki-kun to you._

 **(13:36) How does that solve the issue? Kacchan would still be glaring at someone!**

 _(13:36) What do you think they're so angry about?_

 **(13:37) Let's not butt in… I have a feeling it's nothing serious.**

 **(13:38) Now you're frowning, Iida. Look, Todoroki was smiling this morning while texting Kacchan. I know, because Kacchan was trying to kill him with his eyes.**

 _(13:38) Alright…_

 **/**

(13:44) I talked to Utsushimi-senpai. She told me there was a necklace she's been eyeing for a while now. Here's the link to it.

 **(13:45) ***Thanks.*****

 **(13:45) ***You are the better half of Half'n'Half.*****

(13:46) Uhm, thank you?

 **(13:46) ***Yeah yeah, just lemme know if the fucker messes up. It'll be a good excuse to punch him.*****

 **Fifth Period**

 _ **(14:46) •••Bakuboo~~•••**_

 _ **(14:46) •••Whatcha up to~~?•••**_

 **(14:47) ***Boring classes. Filling up my time by thinking of ways to punch Half'n'Half.*****

 _ **(14:48) •••Really~~? I thought u were thinking of a lit present to give me33•••**_

 **(14:48) ***FUCK IT! I thought she was decent. Should have known better, she dates Todoroki after all!*****

 _ **(14:49) •••So u did ask Momo-chan for help! I knew it, fam! Hundo P, bruh!•••**_

 **(14:50) ***Wait. She didn't tell you?!*****

 _ **(14:50) •••Nope fam, totally called it tho•••**_

 **(14:50) ***Fuck me sideways!*****

 _ **(14:51) •••A little early for that I'm a serious gurl you know?•••**_

 **(14:51) ***That's not what I meant and you fucking know it!*****

 _ **(14:51) •••Do I~?•••**_

 _ **(14:53) •••JK JK, I know ure a gentle cracker, fam•••**_

 **(14:53) ***I can't fucking believe this…*****

 _ **(14:54) •••Aww, but I think it's sweet! U know I'm down for anything u get me tho right babe?•••**_

 **(14:54) ***You always say that, but won't you be disappointed?*****

 _ **(14:55) •••NO?!•••**_

 _ **(14:55) •••U thought about me and that's deffo all that matters cupcake!•••**_

 **(14:55) ***Look I know I gave in but don't call me fucking cupcake! I'm not food!*****

 _ **(14:56) •••But ure sweet!•••**_

 **(14:56) ***So you're fine with the necklace?*****

 _ **(14:57) •••I'm fine with anything as long as we spend xmas together bb•••**_

 **(14:57) ***Do you still wanna go to the aquarium?*****

 _ **(14:58) •••OMG YES?! I wanna compare u to fish!•••**_

 _ **(14:58) •••Ure deffo a puffer babe!•••**_

 **(14:58) ***I'm already regretting this shit.*****

 _ **(14:59) •••Such a puffer!•••**_

 **Seventh Period**

 **The Bakusquad**

 **Cellophane:** Okay but I've been thinking

 **ElectroBolt:** dont hurt yourself bro

 **Cellophane:** Jeez thanks for the care

 **Cellophane:** Aaaanyhow

 **Cellophane:** Remember when Kiri asked us if bees have knees?

 **Cellophane:** I actually looked it up

 **Cellophane:** AND THEY FUCKING DO?!

 **Cellophane:** "Bees have segmented legs, consisting of parts called a coax, a trochanter, a tibia and a tarsus, the joints between which are considered to be knees."

 **ElectoBolt:** why bro?! just… why?!

 **Cellophane:** I was bored and had no tape left

 **Explodo McExplode:** What the fucking fuck do you even DO with that fucking tape?!

 **Red Riot:** This is so cool Sero!

 **Red Riot:** BeEs hAVe KnEeS!

 **ElectroBolt:** do you guys have nothing better to do with your life?!

 **Cellophane:** Well Bakugou has a gf…

 **Explodo McExplode:** You little shit, just shut the fuck up!

 **ElectroBolt:** omg guys i have the plot of our next horror story!

 **Red Riot:** We didn't have a previous horror story though…?

 **Cellophane:** No but we put toothpaste in Bakugou's soup

 **ElectroBolt:** the good old times

 **Explodo McExplode:** Consider yourselves lucky you're alive.

 **Red Riot:** You were saying Kaminari?

 **ElectroBolt:** right!

 **ElectroBolt:** you may wanna cuddle your plushies for this one its pretty explicit

 **Cellophane:** Come on bro

 **ElectroBolt:** what if baku was actually the first one of us to get a gf?!

 **Red Riot:** Sero man are you okay?!

 **Cellophane:** Just fell off a chair I'll live

 **Cellophane:** But don't scare me like that bro!

 **ElectroBolt:** guys?!

 **ElectroBolt:** bakus chortling

 **ElectroBolt:** im highkey scared!

 **Red Riot:** Do you think…

 **Cellophane:** KAMINARI HIT THE JACKPOT?!

 **After School**

 **(20:13) im sorry jirou**

(20:15) hmm? what for?

 **(20:16) i've been living a lie. MY ENTIRE LIFE HAS BEEN A LIE!**

 **(20:16) bakugous the first one of us to actually ever get a gf**

(20:18) WHAT?!

(20:18) tell me before you deliver such blows, i choked on my crackers!

 **(20:18) my reaction exactly**

 **(20:19) sero fell off his chair**

(20:19) WAIT!

(20:20) he's the secret bf ashido and hagakure have been begging camie to tell them about?!

 **(20:20) so it has been established**

 **(20:21) theyve been dating since september**

(20:21) oh waw

(20:21) how did he even…?

 **(20:22) he wouldnt tell us**

 **(20:22) apparently we "wouldnt let him hear the end of it" or something**

(20:23) he does have a point

 **(20:23) we are amazingly supportive friends thank you very much!**

(20:24) amazingly supportive friends who would have teased him to no end

 **(20:24) its part of the job description**

 **(20:25) do you know what this means tho?**

(20:25) no…?

 **(20:26) we gotta make him spill during the trip!**

 **(20:26) he might be able to face us but hes scared of you jirou!**

 **(20:26) you gotta use your skills!**

(20:27) guess i'll add "gosip master" to my list of talents…

 **/**

 _(20:46) yoohoo!_

(20:49) Who is this and what happened to the owner of the phone?

 _(20:49) tsk, so harsh!_

 _(20:49) are big brothers no longer allowed to play practical jokes on their cute brothers?!_

 _(20:50) you know, back when we were children, shou-chan actually looked up to me!_

(20:50) Are you Natsuo Todoroki-san?

 _(20:50) OMG!_

 _(20:51) does shou-chan talk about me?!_

 _(20:51) why doesn't he have emojis on his keyboard?! this calls for some sort of celebration!_

(20:51) He did mention you.

 _(20:51) so he doesn't hate me *wipes tears*_

 _(20:52) so you're yaoyorozu. can i call you momo-chan?_

(20:52) Uhm…

(20:52) How do I even know this is indeed Natsuo-san? You could have just swiped up this chat.

 _(20:53) come oooon_

 _(20:53) i'm the one and only, the irreplaceable!_

(20:53) Then tell me something only you would know about Todoroki-san.

 _(20:54) ooooh i see!_

 _(20:54) this was a really elaborate scheme just to get me to spill the tea!_

 _(20:54) i like you!_

 _(20:55) you think like a todoroki~~_

(20:55) I'll give you 10 seconds before I contact Midoriya-san.

 _(20:55) okay okay_

 _(20:56) shou-chan and fuyumi-nee have a cat called eri. i adopted her mother and named her duchess. yes, she loves the aristocats every bit as much as i do._

(20:56) You really *are* Natsuo Todoroki.

 _(20:56) so i've been telling you for the past ten minutes!_

(20:57) I had to check.

(20:57) Did you steal Todoroki-san's phone?

 _(20:57) look, me and fuyumi-nee have a bet and i'm not about to lose it because there's no way in hell i'm teaching the old man how to use fb_

(20:58) What does this bet involve?

 _(20:58) you're shou-chan's girlfriend, right?_

(20:58) Uhm, yes. Again, I fail to see how this all connects?

 _(20:58) it's ahsnskzmslamwksn_

 _(20:59) Yaoyorozu, I don't know what my idiot brother has told you. I'll be right back._

(20:59) Okay…?

 _(21:24) Natsu-nii is officially banned from ever again touching my phone without asking lest he wants his arms removed from his body._

(21:26) That sounds unnecessarily brutal.

 _(21:26) Violence is the only way to tame this beast._

(21:27) What was all that about?

 _(21:27) Some sort of stupid bet my brother and sister had going on about whether I had a girlfriend or not._

(21:27) Oh.

 _(21:28) Sorry you got dragged into it. The earlier mishap is *precisely* why I didn't want to tell them._

(21:28) It's fine. I think it's actually touching they care so much.

 _(21:28) Yeah right._

(21:29) Kyouka would have done the exact same thing, if it makes you feel better.

 _(21:29) Marginally, but thank you for trying._

(21:29) So, who won the bet?

 _(21:30) I did._

(21:30) What?!

 _(21:31) Actually, Natsuo-nii did (I still can't believe it was *him* that trusted my social skills, not after he has been calling me "stoic and uncute" for years.)_

 _(21:31) But since I found out about their "secret" bet, I also got to cash in a favour._

(21:32) Which was?

 _(21:32) No more It's a Wonderful Life this year._

(21:32) No way!

(21:33) That's a masterpiece, Todoroki-san!

 _(21:33) A masterpiece I know word for word because Fuyumi-nee makes us watch it Every. Single. Year._

(21:34) Tell her I'm willing to watch it with her if you won't.

 _(21:34) Sorry, no can do. If I do tell her, you'd become her new favourite sibling, and that's a position I'm not ready to leave._

(21:35) I thought she was overly protective?

 _(21:35) True, but she makes the best mufflers and sweaters and I'm not about to refuse those._

(21:36) She can knit?

 _(21:36) Exceptionally well for someone who can't cook or braid hair. I'm not sure how her brain is wired, to be honest._

(21:36) You should respect someone with such a talent and great taste in movies (and songs, from what I recall) more!

 _(21:37) I don't get it, why can't we just watch something else this year? I'm down for Miracle on 34th Street or A Christmas Carol, or even How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I'm not picky!_

(21:37) Ah, those are indeed great!

(21:38) But the message of It's a Wonderful Life is timeless!

 _(21:38) Do you have an analysis on it?_

(21:38) Obviously!

(21:39) But I also have this English essay to finish, so is it alright if I tell you about it tomorrow?

 _(21:39) Of course._

 _(21:39) Good night, Yaoyorozu! And good luck with that homework!_

(21:40) Thank you! Good night, Todoroki-san!

 **/**

 _ **(22:03) i'm gonna laugh so hard when you teach dad how to use facebook!**_ _ **( ω )**_

 _(22:07) [I'm on the phone with him right now and he's such a lost cause...]_

 _ **(22:07) wait for me! i gotta be there and film this!**_

 _(22:08) [Why would you want to immortalize my pain...?]_

 _ **(22:08) for posterity! (◕‿◕)**_

* * *

AN: Aaaand that's a wrap!

Damn this chapter was so much fun. The todofamily is a weakness of mine (bless you Horikoshi, but now I need more of these dorks!) so I couldn't pass up an opportunity to write them in! And when last chapter had Enji texting Shouto... I knew this was my call to slip him in, so look forward to chap 18!  
I hope you enjoyed this chapter at least as much as I did! The next chapter will have more Bakusquad as they try to figure out how in the hell Bakugou got a gf before anyone else lmao. Also I hope I didn't mess Camie up... Can you tell I love her?!  
Enough rambling though! There are only 5 chapters left (I feel like cryinggg uwu) As you already know tho, this is crossposted from ao3 and the story is completed there (I'm gonna cry again once I post the last chapter here).  
Also quick question: would be interested in some oneshots about the other characters? I'm already planning one for Kamijirou and how they got together in this au. Any other requests/curiosities? Anyhow, that's all for now! Till next time!


	18. Chapter 18

AN: In which Kaminari becomes an intellectual and TodoMomo acts hella cute (as per usual).

Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shouto  
Underlined is Jirou  
Bold underlined is **Kaminari**  
Italics underlined is Iida

* * *

 **18\. Philosophy and Family (Rejoice, for the Bakusquad Is Here!)**

* * *

 **Wednesday, 22nd December**

 **Wednesday Morning**

(07:23) It's a Wonderful Life is about hope.

 _(07:26) You truly never back out of a movie analysis, do you?_

(07:26) I thought we had established I was stubborn.

 _(07:27) Very well. Enchant me with your deep interpretation._

(07:27) It would be my pleasure.

(07:28) It's a movie about second chances, about hope and about finding your own value. About realizing that each of us is a cog in the huge machine our society is, and that with as much as a single person missing, this entire machine would have to be rebuild to work properly.

 _(07:29) I don't want to contradict you, but I think that's the mistake everybody makes with It's a Wonderful Life._

(07:29) Enlighten me.

 _(07:29) You can't generalize. This isn't a movie about what would happen if any one of us disappeared. It's about George Bailey disappearing, period._

(07:30) You mean to say that if Potter disappeared, it wouldn't have been the same movie?

 _(07:30) Precisely._

(07:30) Potter could be seen as an extension of Scrooge though, and we both know that his story is one of hope and redemption, too.

 _(07:31) Point._

 _(07:31) But the difference is, both Scrooge and Potter are blind to their actual needs because they have money and are arguably "successful" (in the public eye, at least)._

 _(07:32) Bailey is the opposite of that. He's what the viewer would commonly associate with the happy man: he has a family, and it isn't falling apart. He has the love of those around him, yet he's broken._

(07:32) I think I'm starting to see what you mean.

(07:33) Scrooge has to change drastically; meanwhile, George just has to embrace who he already is and what he already has.

 _(07:33) Yes._

 _(07:34) And this is the story of what would happen if George Bailey disappeared. If a man who had so little but gave so much didn't exist. It's a story that tells us "learn to be like Bailey" rather than "Bailey has to learn to be like the rest."_

(07:35) That's a beautiful way to put it.

 _(07:35) You can tell I've watched it 15 times, huh?_

 _(07:35) Fuyumi-nee told me the story of how this movie came to be, and I can't help but think it matches the message._

(07:36) Oh?

 _(07:38) The person who came up with the idea was indeed inspired by A Christmas Carol. He, a certain Philip van Doren Stern, worked for four years on a 4000 words story and then struggled to get it published. Met with no success,the unlucky dude printed 200 copies and sent them as Christmas cards because well, he did work on them for four years, might as well put this work to good use._

 _(07:39) I do not know how many of those cards ended up in the trash bin, but the important thing is that one of them ended up in the hands of David Hempstead, a film producer who decided he could pull it off - I mean, how hard could it be, right?_

(07:39) The film was produced by Capra, however?

 _(07:40) Yes, because despite getting several writers to put a screenplay together, Hempstead couldn't pull it off and sold the rights to Capra in 1945. The guy worked his magic and poof: It's a Wonderful Life was created for Fuyumi-nee to watch every year._

(07:41) And you call me an encyclopedia.

 _(07:41) I watched this movie 15 times, Yaoyorozu. I had to keep it fresh._

(07:42) It was a fascinating take on the movie, setting it apart from the more commonly accepted interpretation!

 _(07:42) Why is it really easy for me to imagine you being all bouncy and excited now?_

(07:43) Uhm, because I am? Am I bothering you?

 _(07:43) You could never bother me, Yaoyorozu._

 _(07:43) I think it's adorable how excited you get about these things._

(07:45) Please warn me before saying such things, I'll spontaneously combust one of these days.

 _(07:45) Or you could just get used to it?_

(07:45) The odds are against me, aren't they?

 _(07:46) Allegedly._

(07:46) I think you mentioned "Thank you" being the right response to that.

 _(07:46) What a fast learner._

(07:47) I try.

(07:47) I have to go and gush about The Great Gatsby in front of the class. Talk to you later?

 _(07:48) Always. Amaze them with your analytical skills!_

 **Second Period**

 **The Bakusquad**

 **Cellophane:** So while Midoriya was having a superheated talk with All Might, I have given our discovery from yesterday much of my attention

 **Red Riot:** Is that why you've been taping things into your notebook the entire class?

 **Cellophane:** It's a nervous habit and with Bakugou having a gf hence the apocalypse closing in on us I HAVE EVERY REASON TO BE NERVOUS OKAY?!

 **Red Riot:** Chill man I'm not judging

 **ElectroBolt:** so whaddya got sero?

 **Cellophane:** Listen to this

 **Cellophane:** What if Bakugou's gf

 **Cellophane:** Is actually a robot?!

 **ElectroBolt:** dude

 **Red Riot:** WhAt?!

 **ElectroBolt:** thats genius?!

 **ElectroBolt:** THIS EXPLAINS EVERYTHING IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE!

 **Red Riot:** You're not even ironic, are you?

 **ElectroBolt:** nope

 **Cellophane:** No no

 **Red Riot:** How does that make sense then?

 **Cellophane:** Think about it

 **Cellophane:** If she's a robot she doesn't have any feelings

 **ElectroBolt:** she could take all of his shit and still smile about it!

 **Cellophane:** She could meet his asshigh standards and be a GENIUS!

 **ElectroBolt:** she could have that crazy body!

 **Red Riot:** You have a gf man

 **ElectroBolt:** hey just because i cant order doesnt mean i cant look at the menu

 **Cellophane:** You're not a nun dude

 **Red Riot:** He's a guy he can't be a nun Sero

 **Cellophane:** I'm pretty sure Kaminari could pull it off

 **ElectroBolt:** thanks for the trust

 **Red Riot:** Getting back to the true problem here tho, I don't think your reasons are valid

 **Red Riot:** You take Bakugou's insults yet still laugh too

 **ElectroBolt:** o.m.g.

 **Cellophane:** Mind=fucked

 **Red Riot:** Besides I dunno if you saw her fb statuses but she uses a lot of slang and emojis?! I doubt Bakugou would program a gf with something he doesn't know how to decipher

 **Explodo McExplode:** I fucking know what the nonsense she's spouting means, thank you very much!

 **ElectroBolt:** BAKUUU!

 **Cellophane:** Have you been spying on us the whole time?!

 **ElectroBolt:** a ninja!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I was literally online you dipshits, why do you think your ticks were blue?!

 **Explodo McExplode:** God you're bigger idiots than I could have ever imagined or "programmed".

 **Cellophane:** Or maybe we're all just brains in the vat

 **ElectroBolt:** the fuck?!

 **Red Riot:** Language

 **ElectroBolt:** excuse me what the fuck?!*

 **Cellophane:** Haven't you been listening to All Might at all?

 **ElectroBolt:** uhm i was texting you?!

 **Cellophane:** It's called multitasking, o' young and stupid one~

 **ElectroBolt:** har har very funny

 **Explodo McExplode:** Brains in the vat is a philosophical concept that says 'Fuck it!' to reality and has a badass evil scientist taking our brains out of our bodies and putting them in a jar, connecting us to this fucking huge and intelligent computer that makes us think we're still alive and living in the normal world.

 **ElectroBolt:** stop lying to me

 **Explodo McExplode:** Just fucking google it if you don't believe me!

 **Red Riot:** Kaminari…?

 **Cellophane:** I think you broke him Bakugou

 **Explodo McExplode:** It was high time we got his stupid ass fucking cultured.

 **Cellophane:** He had an epiphany…

 **Red Riot:** Guys? I'm worried? I can literally see his soul ascend to heavens?

 **Explodo McExplode:** Really?! Cause I see it going to fucking hell.

 **Cellophane:** Good to know *your* virtual realities are fun

 **/**

 **(09:46) were all just brains in the vat**

(09:46) i have so many questions

 **Fourth Period**

 _(11:33) You have a brother, Iida._

 _(11:35) Yes, I do?_

 _(11:36) How do you deal?_

 _(11:36) I don't reckon I quite catch your drift?_

 _(11:37) Natsuo-nii discovered I'm dating Yaoyorozu, and now he keeps sending me these weird… orthographic signs? And links about "love compatibility" and other useless bullshit._

 _(11:37) I believe those "signs" are commonly known as emoji._

 _(11:38) Not exactly the issue here._

 _(11:38) Well, I think he's just trying to help?_

 _(11:38) Yeah, no._

 _(11:39) He stole my phone yesterday to talk to her and then kept pestering me. "Do I get to meet her?! She looks amazeballs what did you bribe her with?!" And my absolute *favourite* "All I want for Christmas is you~" (But just imagine he SANG that in a very false tone.)_

 _(11:40) You know what they say, Todoroki-kun: that's what siblings are for._

 _(11:40) I'm pretty sure Natsuo-nii is a one of a kind specimen._

 _(11:41) I've never seen you and your brother wrestling over the remote._

 _(11:41) Me and Tensei-nii have smarter ways of taking revenge. He, for instance, eats my fitness cereal when he's angry with me._

 _(11:42) If he moves in with Fuyumi-nee, I'll be sure to give her a heads-up and hide my Cheerios stash._

 _(11:42) Don't look at me like that, they're *honey* flavoured!_

 _(11:42) Still, Natsuo-nii isn't that refined in his tactics. He's just going to keep bugging me until I bring her home._

 _(11:43) Or even worse, he'll just show up at her her school._

 _(11:43) Does he already have her tracked down?_

 _(11:43) You make it sound like he's a detective or something equally smart, when the reality is he stalked her on Facebook._

 _(11:44) Speaking of Facebook…_

 _(11:46) Todoroki-kun?_

 _(11:54) You're still frowning at your phone, what happened?_

 **Lunchbreak**

 **The Bakusquad**

 **ElectroBolt:** this is matrix

 **Red Riot:** Oh dear lord he actually broke

 **Red Riot:** KAMINARI MY MAN DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!

 **ElectroBolt:** i know nothing anymore

 **ElectroBolt:** im living in an illusion

 **ElectroBolt:** god is actually an evil scientist

 **Cellophane:** Dude Bakugou you broke my only competent prank partner you gotta take responsibility for this

 **Red Riot:** I thought I was your prank partner too?

 **Cellophane:** I said competent

 **Cellophane:** No offense Kirishima, but you're just… too pure to be evil

 **Explodo McExplode:** Like fuck I need to! The dipshit just got 5 IQ points thanks to me!

 **Cellophane:** I'm pretty sure he just lost 5 neurons instead

 **Cellophane:** Out of the 6 he had left!

 **Cellophane:** Now repair him!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Just go read Descartes, Drooly!

 **ElectroBolt:** des-what?

 **Explodo McExplode:** René Descartes.

 **ElectroBolt:** gesundheit

 **Electro McExplode:** Why the actual fuck can you spell Gesundheit but you don't know who fucking Descartes is?!

 **Red Riot:** I think, therefore I am, right?

 **Cellophane:** Cogito ergo sum you peasants

 **Explodo McExplode:** I swear, God was very drunk when he made you, cause you're the smartest biggest idiot I know, Sero.

 **Cellophane:** You know what Pascal said: man is a paradox.

 **Red Riot:** I'm proud of you guys but please stop terrorizing Kaminari

 **Cellophane:** He's actually reading and I'm lowkey concerned

 **Explodo McExplode:** I bet you ten bucks that by the end of the day the dipshit will think himself Socrates reincarnated.

 **/**

 **(13:36) i was a philosopher in my former life jirou**

(13:37) honestly pikachu, did you hit your head today?!

 **/**

 _(13:46) I think I finally realized what the bet was._

(13.49) Oh?

 _(13:50) The loser had to teach my father how to use facebook._

(13:50) I'm still a bit confused.

 _(13:50) He's technologically challenged, but apparently Fuyumi-nee taught him how to add me on facebook and he's now using messenger to spam me._

(13:51) What is he saying?

 _(13:51) "SHOUTO."_

 _(13:51) "HOW ARE YOU. WE NEED TO T"_

 _(13:52) "TALK."_

 _(13:52) "I'LL BE WAITING FOR YOUR REPLY."_

(13:52) Is he caps-screaming at you?

 _(13:53) No, I'm pretty sure he doesn't know how to turn caps lock off._

(13:53) That's actually sort of endearing.

(13:54) I know you have your own founded grudges with your father, but he seems to be trying.

 _(13:57) He did say… that he wants to change._

 _(13:57) Am I terrible for not wanting to forgive him?_

(13:58) I don't think you are. He hurt you in ways perhaps not even you can fully grasp, and you're allowed to take your time with him. Nobody will blame you for being reticent, Todoroki-san.

(13:59) And he probably won't change overnight, either. But he's trying, and maybe you should meet him halfway there. Or even a quarter of the way. Just… don't walk in the opposite direction.

 _(14:02) I won't… be able to forget. Not when Mom's still in the hospital, no matter how many roses he brings her now._

(14:02) I don't think you need to negate his past in order to build a new image of him.

(14:03) You said it yourself, Todoroki-san. You also changed, and it was thanks to Midoriya-san, who pushed you over the edge, right?

 _(14:03) Right._

 _(14:04) You're amazing, Yaoyorozu._

(14:04) Thank you…?

 _(14:04) I want to see you._

(14:05) But you just saw me…?

 _(14:05) I know._

(14:05) Oh.

(14:07) [Photo sent]

(14:07) Sorry, Kyouka and Ashido photobombed me and the angle is pretty weird.

 _(14:07) It's perfect._

(14:08) It's unfair if only I send one, you know?

 _(14:10) [Photo sent]_

 _(14:10) Uraraka couldn't help but pose for this the moment her selfie-senses started tingling, and she dragged Midoriya into the photo, too._

(14:11) Why is Iida-san frowning in the corner?

 _(14:11) "This is the canteen, please behave yourselves!" (he's just pretending to ignore Bakugou's "squad", really.)_

(14:12) What did they do this time?

 _(14:12) I'm not sure, but one of them has been reading the entire break, barely touched his food and is almost crying._

 _(14:15) Update: he just passed by me, touched my shoulder and said, "Be enlightened."_

 _(14:15) Fret for my life, Yaoyorozu._

(14:16) What was Bakugou-san's reaction?

 _(14:16) He's laughing maniacally while one of his friends is throwing salt on him to "exorcise the demons."_

(14:17) A rowdy bunch?

 _(14:17) As per usual._

(14:17) If it's any relief, Ashido, Hagakure and Kyouka are now blasting the Christmas Playlist in the cafeteria.

(14:18) And Mrs. Midnight is singing along?!

 _(14:18) Please, no more. I had enough of Natsuo-nii singing at breakfast…_

(14:19) It's actually sort of nice? Kyouka brought her guitar down and they're singing Let it Snow right now.

 _(14:19) Really?_

 _(14:20) That has to be my favourite Christmas song._

(14:20) I could have bet.

 _(14:20) How so?_

(14:21) I'm not sure? You just give off that warm vibe, and sitting next to you puts one at ease just like a fireplace would. "But the fire is so delightful!"

 _(14:22) Hmm. What's yours?_

(14:22) Baby It's Cold Outside.

 _(14:22) Huh._

(14:23) What?

 _(14:23) I had you pegged as an "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" type of person._

(14:24) I love that song, too.

(14:24) But Baby It's Cold Outside tells a romance story through nothing but dialogue, yet I can visualize it. I find that fascinating!

 _(14:25) Uraraka has just brought it to my attention that an adorable dork is called adorkable and this is what I'm going to call you from now on._

(14:25) I wish I knew how to break this spell. At least I'm gonna say that I tried.

 _(14:26) What's the sense in hurtin' my pride?_

(14:26) Really, I'd better scurry.

 _(14:27) Beautiful, please don't hurry._

(14:27) Goodbye, Todoroki-san!

 _(14:27) Always a pleasure talking to you, Yaoyorozu._

 **Fifth Period**

 **The Bakusquad**

 **ElectroBolt:** the greatness of man is in knowing he is doomed!

 **ElectroBolt:** i love this!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Oi what the fuck?!

 **ElectroBolt:** bow to me bakugou for i am an intellectual now!

 **Explodo McExplode:** There we go Sero, fucking take him back!

 **Cellophane:** MY DUDE! YOU LIVE!

 **ElectroBolt:** i have decided that even if im a brain in the volt i have left the cave and am thus truly alive

 **Cellophane:** You're mixing your concepts there BUT I'M GLAD YOU'RE BACK CAUSE I HAVE A NEW THEORY!

 **ElectroBolt:** i shall listen

 **Cellophane:** What if Bakugou acts entirely differently with Camie?! Like he creates an alter ego to impress her!

 **Red Riot:** I've always wondered but does that make you a different person?

 **Red Riot:** Like if you always act differently, are you not just one and only person? Does multiple personality disorder not make you multiple people?

 **ElectroBolt:** there are two generally accepted trains of thoughts in that matter

 **Cellophane:** Kaminari?!

 **ElectroBolt:** theyre known as physical and psychological continuity respectively

 **Cellophane:** Am I the only scared one here?!

 **Explodo McExplode:** What's even more fucking terrifying is that what he says is right?!

 **Red Riot:** Man, did something happen?! Did Jirou break up with you or something?!

 **ElectroBolt:** jirou may be only the result of my imagination, but im ready to take this chance and extend pascals bet to our mundane world

 **ElectroBolt:** if i believe in this world i have nothing to lose. if i dont i lose everything

 **Red Riot:** Why does this…

 **Cellophane:** ACTUALLY MAKE SENSE?!

 **ElectroBolt:** and im going to apply that to bakugou having a gf too

 **Explodo McExplode:** YOU SHIT FOR BRAINS! Was this all an elaborate plan to fucking insult me?!

 **Cellophane:** Kaminari my brother I should have NEVER doubted you!

 **Red Riot:** Welcome back man!

 **Cellophane:** Kirishima? Are you crying dude?

 **ElectroBolt:** god this was SO worth it!

 **ElectroBolt:** but seriously tho how did you get a gf bakugou?

 **Red Riot:** Maybe he saved her from a bunch of hooligans?

 **ElectroBolt:** nah he obviously wooed her with his volleyball skills and then she asked for his sweaty towel or something

 **Cellophane:** Oooooor she asked him to fake date her and then they fell in love?

 **ElectroBolt:** maybe they are secretly engaged?!

 **Red Riot:** What if she worked in a coffee shop and spelled his name wrong every time to get his attention?!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Why are these all fucking fanfiction ideas?!

 **ElectroBolt:** omg baku DO YOU READ FANFIC MY DUDE?!

 **Explodo McExplode:** NO!

 **Cellophane:** You totally do!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Whatever. I'm out.

 **ElectroBolt:** sore loser~~

 **Seventh Period**

 **(16:03) this is the most boring illusion we could live in**

(16:04) pikachu… should i bring you paracetamol? are you sick?!

 **(16:04) awww you care!**

(16:05) i'm your girlfriend you dumbass, i obviously care!

 **(16:05) thats touching**

 **(16:05) but still i cant believe this!**

(16:06) this being…?

 **(16:07) bakugou bumped into camie and spilled his coffee all over her?! and then she asked him out for lunch in return and they hit it off?!**

(16:07) that's sweet

 **(16:07) ITS ANTICLIMACTIC!**

(16:08) what did you expect?

 **(16:08) giant robots?! saving her from a band of villains?! BEING SECRETLY BETROTHED?!**

(16:09) your expectations were too high

(16:09) i'm pretty sure that only happens in tv dramas, pikachu

 **(16:09) WE COULD BE LIVING IN A TV DRAMA FOR ALL WE KNOW!**

(16:10) well this tv drama has rehearsal tonight so don't forget that

 **(16:10) im gonna ask tokoyami for edgy stuff to sing**

(16:11) why…?

 **(16:11) its all a mad banquet of darkness**

 **(16:12) OMG TOKOYAMI KNEW!**

(16:12) ooookay, i'll bring my first aid kit when i come see you, just hang in there

 **After School**

 _(20:13) So… I texted my father back._

(20:23) I'm so proud! What did he say?

 _(20:24) He hasn't responded yet, but the dots have been there for a while so he's either writing a novel or being very awkward about this._

(20:24) What did you send him back?

 _(20:25) "WHAT."_

(20:25) That's… passive aggressive.

 _(20:26) The only reason I answered in the first place is that one of his employees called Fuyumi-nee and said, "His Shouto anxiety is getting worse what happened?!"_

(20:26) You know that's not the only reason why you replied.

 _(20:28) Mom is trying her best. I can't leave her alone._

 _(20:28) Ugh this is so awkward. He just answered "Can I visit for Christmas"._

 _(20:29) He figured out what capslock is, colour me impressed. Just punctuation left._

(20:29) Well can he?

 _(20:31) Yeah._

 _(20:31) Fuyumi-nee and I were planning to get the entire family back together for Christmas._

 _(20:32) Well, Touya-nii won't make it because he's abroad again, but at least he isn't in a hospital this year._

(20:33) You have another brother?

 _(20:33) Yeah. Touya-nii is actually the oldest one of us, but he's a professional photographer and is always abroad, working for some international magazine._

 _(20:34) He's quite sickly though, and that's why he could never play volleyball at the level my father expected him to, although he was more skillful than me and he arguably our father, too._

(20:34) But at least he's doing something he enjoys, right?

 _(20:35) Yes._

(20:35) I'm glad you're celebrating Christmas with your family! That's what Christmas is all about, after all!

 _(20:36) What about you?_

(20:36) I'll be home for the winter break. I'll miss the girls and Eri-chan, but I also miss my parents a lot. I can't wait to decorate the tree with Mom and spend late nights in the library... _(20:37) When was the last time you saw them?_

(20:37) The summer break…

 _(20:37) Waw._

(20:37) It can't be helped. They're busy, and I go at a boarding school.

 _(20:38) Then I sure hope you'll have a good time with them._

 _(20:38) On the 26th though, would you be free?_

(20:38) Are you asking me on a date, Todoroki-san?

 _(20:39) Perhaps._

(20:39) How mysterious.

 _(20:40) Ah, I got to go. Iida-san came over to cook, and I'm not about to pass on a perfectly delicious meal._

(20:40) What a perfectly convenient time to disappear...

* * *

AN: Hello again!

So I know this chapter is shorter, but I'm starting to get super busy again. Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed! This is the most Bakusquad filled chapter as of yet and I adore their bits so much?! For the record, all of the philosophical concepts actually exist (I should know, I had a test on it) and I hope you enjoyed the kami bits (because I honestly laughed while writing them)  
This fic only has 4 chapters left... ah, how time has passed! Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy the rest of this ride, and lemme know which couples/friendships you'd like to see in future one shots set in this universe (I obviously can't just be DONE with d&e).  
And with that, I leave you~ sorry for the rant, and till next time, lovely readers!


	19. Chapter 19

AN: In which the Christmas Party Preparations cause casualties, and a hella lot of references are thrown around.

Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shouto  
Bold is **Midoriya**  
Underlined is Jirou  
Italics underlined is Iida  
Bold underlined is **Kaminari**  
***Bold underlined*** is *****Bakugou*****  
•••Bold italics••• is **•••Camie•••**  
[Italics underlined] is [Fuyumi]

The first convo is comprised of pieces from different poems, and the last Kamijirou convo is a puzzle of lyrics. If you catch those references, brownie points! If you wanna know what those are, lemme know in the comments!

* * *

19\. Poetry and Lyrics (Girls Saving "Their Boyfriends' Sorry Asses")

* * *

 **Thursday, 23rd December**

 **Thursday Morning**

(07:34) "The art of losing isn't hard to master;/ so many things seem filled with the intent;/ to be lost that their loss is no disaster."

 _(07:38) And you call *my* conversation starters peculiar._

(07:38) I just read this and I found it beautiful, so I wanted to share.

(07:39) It's from a poem by Elizabeth Bishop, One Art.

 _(07:42) I just read it and I can see why it left an impression on you. Especially in the end, "Write it!" makes the poet's dread feel tangible._

(07:43) Doesn't it?

(07:43) Do you like poetry, Todoroki-san?

 _(07:44) I do, albeit not as much as I enjoy novels. I admire the power of packing so much in so little, but it can be scary how even the most minuscule word can have such an impactful meaning in poetry._

(07:44) Terrifyingly beautiful, isn't it?

 _(07:45) I suppose I should have predicted you'd have an affinity for poetry._

(07:45) It's just… there's actually not much we have to say, yet the way we say it can make all the difference.

 _(07:46) "Syllables of velvet,/ Sentences of plush."_

(07:46) Ah, so you like Emily Dickinson!

 _(07:47) Her writing flows naturally, and the images she evoques just stuck with me._

(07:49) "A precious, mouldering pleasure 'tis/ To meet an antique book."

 _(07:50) "He traverses familiar,/ As one should come to town/ And tell you all your dreams were true:/ He lived where dreams were born."_

 _(07:51) I also love her simpler images, things we feel in everyday life but can't string into words or thoughts: "The thought behind I strove to join/ Unto the thought before."_

(07:52) "But sequence ravelled out of reach/ Like balls upon a floor."

(07:53) And then there are the questions without answer, the poems that leave you thinking: "If nature will not tell the tale/ Jehovah told to her,/ Can human nature not survive/ Without a listener?"

 _(07:54) "The only secret people keep/ Is Immortality."_

 _(07:55) Also she had a period in which she had an obsession for Death. "Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me"_

(07:55) "The carriage held but ourselves/ And Immortality."

 _(07:56) "How dreary to be somebody!"_

(07:56) That one has always reminded me of "anyone lived in a pretty how town".

 _(07:57) ee cummings, huh? Esthetics always seemed to be his substance._

(07:57) Because it was!

(07:58) His poems feel like a puzzle, wouldn't you agree?

 _(07:58) You're like a puzzle, Yaoyorozu._

(07:59) Care to elaborate on that?

 _(08:00) You're a scientist, yet you seem to be in love with words and how they play off each other, despite there being no "right answer" in literature._

(08:01) Hmm.

(08:01) I don't think science and arts are that different?

(08:02) Science isn't just following algorithms, but being creative and imaginative. It's being able to change your perspective and try something new!

 _(08:03) Are you bouncing on the balls of your feet right now?_

(08:04) … Perhaps.

(08:04) Thank you for humoring me with this morning conversation! It was a mood booster!

 _(08:05) You really are something else._

 **/**

(08:04) she's totally bouncing up and down in her seat

 _(08:04) I knew it._

 **Second Period**

 **(10:12) Uhm, why are Shouto and Uraraka eating snacks in a corner?**

 _(10:14) We needed to distract her while Kaminari and I brought the lights into the storage room._

 _(10:15) It was the only way._

 **(10:16) That sounds about right.**

 **(10:16) Oh and, I talked to Kaminari.**

 **(10:17) He's got it covered!**

 _(10:17) Perfect._

 _(10:19) Oh no, Midoriya-kun, turn your phone off, abort mission now, abort mission now!_

 **/**

 _(10:22) Uraraka-kun, Midoriya-kun is in the infirmary._

 _ **(10:22) ~On my way!~**_

 **Lunch Break**

 _(13:02) Day 1: Preparations for the Christmas Party. Number of casualties so far: 3 &½._

(13:04) I was under the impression this was a party, not a battle, but I suppose UA takes everything seriously.

 _(13:04) Every party is a battle._

(13:05) Let me guess: Midoriya is one of the victims.

 _(13:05) Yes, although to his credit, with no fault of his own._

(13:06) Oh?

 _(13:07) Yes well, Asui was using a ladder with wheels to decorate the walls, and Midoriya was in the way when she moved without checking so they sort of collided? She landed on top of him, so she was fine. Midoriya, however…_

(13:08) Oh dear, is he alright?

 _(13:08) I think his arm is broken. It wouldn't be the first time - I think his bones are fragile by now._

(13:09) Ah, I'm so sorry! I hope he gets well soon!

 _(13:09) Uraraka is feeding him as we speak, so I think everything has its pluses and minuses._

(13:10) At least that's soothing him.

(13:10) Who are the other two and uhm, a half (?) victims? I have a feeling it's somehow related to "the Bakusquad".

 _(13:11) There's no true party without "the Bakusquad" wreaking havoc._

 _(13:12) One of the guys has a tape obsession? He just carries tape virtually anywhere with him, and it comes in handy when you need to line the walls of the gym with lights._

 _(13:13) So he was doing that, minding his own business and putting his trust in his friends to hold the ladder because… well, I don't know why anyone would trust the Bakusquad but he did._

(13:13) A terrible decision, really.

 _(13:14) Eugene would be so proud of you._

 _(13:15) In any case, Bakugou and "Drooly" (don't ask, I stopped questioning it two weeks after the "squad" was officially assembled) were holding the ladder, and of course they had to start fighting about how "Bakugou now holds secrets from them" and "they need to be introduced to Camie"._

 _(13:16) And by whatever irony of Mother Nature, it turns out Bakugou is a protective boyfriend and he snapped when the subject was pushed, which resulted in him letting go of the ladder entirely to chase his "friend", and you can guess what followed._

(13:17) So I suppose one innocent victim was Sero and the other one was "Drooly", who was playing with fire.

 _(13:17) That was an intentional pun._

(13:18) I won't comment on it.

 _(13:18) I knew I had good taste in girls, Natsuo-nii has been on my case for years for nothing._

 _(13:20) Compliments really are your weakness, huh?_

(13:21) Who's the half-victim?

 _(13:21) Texts may let you dodge, but you can't do that face to face, Yaoyorozu._

 _(13:22) And it's All Might. He has an incredible headache from trying to coordinate us all and stop Bakugou from killing anyone._

(13:22) I sympathize with your teacher.

(13:22) I had to change the lock at the girl's bathroom because of Mineta again…

 _(13:23) I don't think my absence would be noticeable if I came over there to take care of him, right?_

(13:24) You can't, Todoroki-san!

(13:24) Besides, Jirou and Ashido may or may not have "roasted" him (according to Jirou, that's the right term to use for being sassy and mean) and I may or may not have turned a blind eye to it.

 _(13:25) Tell them I'm both thankful and proud._

(13:26) They say you're definitely on the right path to a golden badge.

(13:27) I feel guilty somehow… he's not a terrible person, you know?

 _(13:27) That's because you believe everyone has good in them, Yaoyorozu._

(13:28) It would be a bleak world otherwise.

 _(13:28) Don't beat yourself over it. You aren't responsible for others' education and poor choices._

(13:29) Yes…

(13:29) Thank you, Todoroki-san!

 _(13:29) Anytime._

 _(13:30) Wish me luck as I return on the battlefield._

(13:30) Good luck! Send me photos of the tree!

 **/**

 **(13:06) bakugou isnt human and i have biological evidence**

(13:07) do i even want to know?

 **(13:07) [photo sent]**

 **(13:08) these are *claw* marks. CLAW. NAILS DONT LOOK LIKE THIS!**

 **(13:08) and i should know i have an older brother we fight all the time!**

(13:09) what did you do this time, pikachu?

 **(13:09) why do you just assume I did something? what if bakugou just has anger issues?**

(13:09) …

 **(13:10) i said he doesnt want us to meet camie because hes lying about her being his gf**

(13:10) buuuuurn!

 **(13:11) he was fucking pissed**

 **(13:11) started throwing a hissy fit and everything**

(13:12) these scratches are proof of bravery, o' young fallen soldier

 **(13:12) im very much alive thank you**

 **(13:13) well for as long as im in the infirmary anyway**

 **(13:13) i can hear bakugou growling beyond the door**

 **(13:14) jirou do you think we can have dates here? its really nice and theres a tv too thats all we need**

(13:14) oh come on, don't chicken out now, we have a gig tomorrow

 **(13:16) i just checked the acoustics are perfect here**

 **(13:16) wed be the first ones to hold a gig in an infirmary yeeee~~**

(13:16) do i have to drag you out of that bed?

 **(13:17) or you can just take bakugou away from here? hes scared of you ya know**

(13:17) no, he's just *intimidated*

(13:18) i think he's creeped out by tokoyami tho

(13:18) but you know he doesn't go outside during the day unless absolutely necessary

 **(13:19) this is an EMERGENCY!**

(13:20) but unlike you, we have actual *classes* today, kaminari

 **(13:20) kirishima is my only real bro**

 **The Bakusquad**

 **ElectroBolt:** bakuuuuuuuu

 **Red Riot:** You're not helping your case bro

 **ElectroBolt:** bakugou i swear i didnt mean that

 **ElectroBolt:** okay maybe just a little

 **Cellophane:** Brb imma go order flowers for kaminari's funeral

 **Red Riot:** We promise to play a lot of Backstreet Boys during the speeches

 **ElectroBolt:** DONT GIVE UP ON ME LIKE THIS!

 **ElectroBolt:** look bakugou i just wanted to meet her to check if shes good for you

 **Explodo McExplode:** She fucking is, I don't need you to check on me like some sort of annoying brother.

 **ElectroBolt:** awwww

 **Explodo McExplode:** I'm THIS close to killing you!

 **ElectroBolt:** you just said im like a brother!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Fucking didn't!

 **ElectroBolt:** i love you too bakuboo!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I didn't say I fucking loved you!

 **ElectroBolt:** you dont need to say it i KNOW

 **Explodo McExplode:** Oh for fuck's sake, just move your ass back already, we have fucking pink lights to hang around while Round Face is gone with fucking Deku.

 **Sixth Period**

 _ **(15:14) •••Bakufam!•••**_

 **(15:17) ***If this is about the movie marathon I already told you we're doing it at my place and you don't need to bring anything!*****

 _ **(15:17) •••Lovely fam, but not what I meant•••**_

 _ **(15:18) •••Tho please tell Bakumom I love her sweets and would deffo dig brownies!•••**_

 **(15:19) ***The hag already had me buy all of the ingredients for that and lemme tell you they weighed like a ton?! I think she wants to stuff you until you can't move from our fucking sofa.*****

 **(15:19) ***Why can't you like strawberry shortcake like normal people?!*****

 _ **(15:20) •••Pretty sure only u like that Bakuboo. It's cute! Adorbs!•••**_

 **(15:21) ***Remind me why I agreed to watching sappy movies with you an entire night again?!*****

 _ **(15:21) •••Totes called love bae•••**_

 _ **(15:22) •••Which doesn't give u the right to fight your friends btw. That's a no-go fam•••**_

 **(15:23) ***Jirou's a bitch.*****

 _ **(15:23) •••I know that's short for friend in ur dictionary Bakuboo•••**_

 _ **(15:24) •••Momo-chan actually told me tho•••**_

 **(15:24) ***I THOUGHT SHE WAS FUCKING HALF-DECENT!*****

 _ **(15:25) •••She's like, really cool•••**_

 _ **(15:25) •••I like her!•••**_

 **(15:25) ***That doesn't mean fucking anything. You like every moron.*****

 _ **(15:26) •••Don't change the subject Bakubae•••**_

 _ **(15:26) •••U shouldn't fight ur friends•••**_

 _ **(15:27) •••And I wanna meet them!•••**_

 **(15:27) ***Fuck no!*****

 _ **(15:27) •••Why noooot?:((•••**_

 **(15:28) ***Cause they're morons, and they'd corrupt you.*****

 _ **(15:28) •••They're ur friends, so I think they're like, really nice!•••**_

 **(15:29) ***Was that an insult?!*****

 _ **(15:30) •••Well fam, one needs qualities to hang out with u•••**_

 **(15:30) ***Har har.*****

 _ **(15:32) •••For realsies tho! I wanna meet them! Like, shouldn't the girlfriend have a big intro and everything?!•••**_

 **(15:32) ***Why do you even give a shit?*****

 _ **(15:33) •••Cause fam, I wanna see what u're like with them? Like see another side of you, ya know?•••**_

 _ **(15:34) •••And because I heard one of them is Kyouka-chan's bf and I totes wanna meet this dude!•••**_

 **(15:35) ***I'm so gonna fucking regret this.*****

 _ **(15:36) •••Is that a yes?•••**_

 **(15:37) ***Don't go all sparkly and shit on me now!*****

 _ **(15:38) •••OOOOH!•••**_

 _ **(15:39) •••Totes gotta go shopping now! U're coming with me bb!•••**_

 **(15:40) ***I absolutely hate you.*****

 _ **(15:40) •••Mhm, love you too fam!•••**_

 **/**

 **(15:45) i dunno what you did but bakus smiling at his phone so thank you**

(15:48) i may or may not have switched the topic of discussion at the table and asked momo what wonderboy was saying

 **(15:49) i love you**

(15:49) i love me too

 **(15:50) haha great sense of humor jirou**

(15:50) why thank you, i train daily

(15:50) believe in your flyness conquer your shyness you know?

 **(15:51) you did not**

 **(15:51) just quote kanye west**

(15:52) darling i'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream

 **(15:53) i try to picture me without you but i cant**

(15:53) and live with me forever now and pull the blackout curtains down

 **(15:54) bold arent we jirou**

(15:54) we had something good, don't ruin it

 **(15:55) its not like im falling in love i just want you to do me no good and you look like you could**

(15:56) heck yes arctic monkeys! you sure know the way to my heart

(15:56) there's this tune i found that makes me think of you somehow

 **(15:57) when i play it on repeat until i fall asleep**

(15:57) been wondering if your heart's still open and if so i wanna know what time it shuts

 **(15:58) im sorry to interrupt its just im constantly on the cusp of trying to kiss you**

(16:00) you kinda did tho

 **(16:01) jirou! we were on a roll!**

(16:02) okay moment over

 **(16:02) you cant just do that!**

 **(16:02) wait**

 **(16:03) did you just remember that night?**

(16:03) shut up

 **(16:04) omg thats the cutest thing ever!**

(16:06) you were SO sappy

(16:06) can't believe you waited the entire night just for that one song

 **(16:07) totally wooed you tho**

(16:07) i blame the alcohol

 **(16:08) mhm sure**

 **/**

 _(15:46) Yaoyorozu, did you somehow bring Bakugou's wrath upon yourself and, by extension, myself?_

(15:47) Not that I recall?

 _(15:48) Just so you know, he tried to kill me._

(15:48) Todoroki-san!

 _(15:49) I'd normally be telling Midoriya this because we have a pact, but seeing as he is already in the infirmary, I'll have to ask you to avenge me._

(15:49) Please don't joke around! What happened?

 _(15:50) Things seem to just *suddenly* fall too close to comfort to me. One of the branches we're hanging on the door caught on fire when I was about to touch it. A Santa doll my height collapsed next to me._

 _(15:51) And Bakugou was grinning in all the aforementioned situations, so I doubt it's a "coincidence"._

(15:51) Maybe lay low for a while? Go visit Midoriya in the infirmary?

 _(15:52) Way ahead of you._

(15:53) I don't know about avenging you, but I think I can make this stop.

 **/**

(15:53) Utsushimi-san loves Marvel movies and she's enamoured with matching hoodies

 **(15:57) ***And you only say this now, woman?!*****

(15:58) Stop trying to hurt Todoroki-san and I may be nicer.

 **(15:58) ***I can't tell if you're actually tolerable or despicable.*****

(15:59) Unpredictable is how I'd put it.

 **/**

 _(16:07) Bakugou just told me to "thank you for saving my sorry ass" so I guess that confirms it was him._

(16:08) You're welcome!

 **The Bakusquad**

 **ElectroBolt:** i LOVE this dj board!

 **Explodo McExplode:** We fucking know, we can hear it from over here, Drooly!

 **Cellophane:** Cat's pajamas!

 **Explodo McExplode:** What the actual fuck?!

 **Cellophane:** What? It's a synonym for bee's knees!

 **Red Riot:** CaT's PajAmAs!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Where in the name of All Might do you fucking get these?!

 **ElectroBolt:** welcome to the 21st century bakugou we have the internet you should check it out its cool

 **ElectroBolt:** but not as cool as THIS SICK BEAT!

 **Cellophane:** Taylor Swift is the reason you're our dj kaminari!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I really don't know why Camie wants to meet you lot of morons.

 **After school**

 _(20:23) [Shouto? Are you on your way home?]_

 _(20:26) Yeah. Please tell me we have soba for dinner, I'm beat._

 _(20:27) [Tough luck, little brother. But Tensei will be making curry, and I bought mochi.]_

 _(20:28) I guess I can settle for that._

 _(20:29) [I was actually texting because… well, you know Father will be coming over for dinner tonight.]_

 _(20:29) I'm not going to run away, Fuyumi-nee._

 _(20:30) I… I'll try to meet him in the middle._

 _(20:32) [So when can we all meet Yaoyorozu-chan?]_

 _(20:32) I'm never letting Natsuo-nii into our home again. Why do you just assume this has to be her influence?_

 _(20:33) [You mean it isn't?]_

 _(20:33) … Maybe I'll bring her home for my birthday._

 _(20:34) [Wonderful! Ask her what she wants for dinner!]_

 _(20:34) So you can tell Iida-san in advance?_

 _(20:35) [Where are the old days when you respected me?]_

 _(20:35) Western food._

 _(20:36) [Oh! She sounds classy!]_

 _(20:37) [Wait is this her?]_

 _(20:37) [Photo sent]_

 _(20:38) Are you stalking her?_

 _(20:38) Wait why am I in the picture too? Is this from our shopping trip?_

 _(20:38) [Tensei showed me this; apparently, his little brother took it!]_

 _(20:39) I'm disowning Iida._

 **/**

 _(20:43) Do you think if I put up announcements for new friends, I'd get some who don't meddle into my private affairs?_

(20:47) But those are the best ones, or so Kyouka says.

 _(20:55) I'll just talk to Iida tomorrow… for now, wish me luck._

(20:55) ? Good luck?

 **/**

(22:46) It's tomorrow!

(22:48) i know girl

(22:48) ACTUALLY TOMORROW!

(22:49) it's not your first time meeting him, why are you so bouncy?

(22:49) It's the biggest Christmas party in the city!

(22:50) pfft, is that what you're all bouncy for?

(22:50) not the fact that he might, you know, actually *kiss* you this time?

(22:51) Well *now* I can't sleep.

(22:56) … Oh waw, that's actually quite possible, isn't it?

(22:56) you're welcome~

* * *

 **AN:** Hi!

Okay so I honestly feel this chapter is SO bad compared to others, but I was stuck on it for SO long (plus delays caused by various life shit) that I decided to let it into the ether as it was. Specifically because I'm kinda confident in chap 21 and it should make up for this.  
Hope you enjoyed it nonetheless and thanks for sticking with me! 3 CHAPS LEFT WOHOOO~~ As you probably noticed, there won't be a void after this fic: I started posting But Tomorrow We Love, a TodoMomo parent! AU I'm particularly fond of, and a new work with the lovely Nash, Home Team, so check this out on ao3!  
Till next time, fam~


	20. Chapter 20

**AN:** In which friends betray each other and food is stolen. Also in which the Bakusquad decide they're gonna rock the night... by being really oldschool.

Normal is Momo  
Italics is Shouto  
Underlined is Jirou  
Bold is **Midoriya**  
Bold underlined **Kaminari**  
Italics underlined Iiida  


* * *

 **20\. Betrayals and Best Friends (The Line Between Love and Hate Is Called Teasing)**

* * *

 **Friday, 24th December**

 **Friday Morning**

 _(07:14) I'm disowning you._

 _(07:15) I'm sorry Todoroki-kun, but I don't think you *can* disown me unless we are related._

 _(07:16) Wait!_

 _(07:16) Are we related?!_

 _(07:17) Is *that* your biggest concern?_

 _(07:18) Well I'd have to buy myself a new suit for the wedding. Leaving things for the last minute is unbecoming of an Iida!_

 _(07:19) You'd better start looking then._

 _(07:19) Did my brother really…?_

 _(07:20) Well Fuyumi-nee sure didn't buy that diamond ring herself._

 _(07:25) Iida?_

 _(07:25) Excuse me, I am simply incredibly happy!_

 _(07:26) About being disowned?_

 _(07:26) I can't believe my brother didn't tell me! I'm really going to raid his Cheerios stash this time!_

 _(07:27) Despicable!_

 _(07:27) You're right, maybe I was too harsh._

 _(07:28) You know what, I'll just get back to you with the documents about my will._

 _(07:29) Alright Todoroki-kun, what happened?_

 _(07:29) Ask my lawyer._

 _(07:30) Todoroki-kun!_

 **/**

(07:48) I don't mean to meddle, but what happened last night?

 _(07:48) Two things: I decided I'm disowning Iida and Father came over for dinner._

(07:49) Are those two related or…?

 _(07:49) Allegedly._

 _(07:50) Iida-san was at dinner too, and since Father was there, he asked for Fuyumi-nee's hand in marriage officially, which means Iida and I will be related, hence I can disown him for stalking us in the mall and taking photos._

 _(07:51) I would advise you to find a way to disown Jirou too because she was the mastermind behind that particular photographic evidence._

(07:51) Waw.

(07:52) That's a lot of information to take in one minute.

(07:52) Congratulations are in order! I'm truly happy for your sister and Iida-san!

(07:53) As for the photos, you should know Jirou doesn't look the slightest bit guilty but she does look very proud of herself.

(07:54) How was dinner though?

 _(07:55) Awkward, but it could have been much worse. Nobody yelled, no dishes have been broken and many tears (of laughter and of happiness) have been shed because Father had never seen Home Alone before._

(07:55) It sounds like you had fun!

 _(07:56) Well for once we didn't talk about volleyball so it was refreshing. Also very much awkward._

(07:56) I have a hard time imaging an awkward Todoroki-san.

 _(07:57) He's like Wreck-it-Ralph._

(07:57) Oh!

 _(07:58) Iida-san made amuse-bouche for us last night and Father was so perplexed by their size he was just staring at them menacingly._

(07:58) That doesn't sound like a complete failure of a night.

 _(07:59) I suppose it wasn't._

 _(07:59) Which doesn't mean he deserves a Father of the Year award._

(08:00) Obviously, but small steps are better than no steps.

 _(08:00) Well we need a lot of small steps._

 _(08:01) But thanks, Yaoyorozu. Talking to you… really makes me feel better._

(08:01) I'm glad.

(08:02) I have to go to class, but talk to you soon?

 _(08:02) Of course._

 **Second Period**

 **(09:24) [Photo sent]**

(09:27) I can't tell whether you sent this because Uraraka-san looks cute or if it was the half of Todoroki-san's face you wanted me to see.

 **(09:28) I'm sorry, the guy just won't let himself be photographed.**

(09:28) If you don't mind me asking, how is your arm, Midoriya-san?

 **(09:29) It's in a cast, but otherwise fine?**

 **(09:29) Which is precisely why I'm the designed photographer of this event now.**

(09:30) How many of the photos are of Uraraka-san?

 **(09:30) I'd rather not give a precise number.**

 **(09:31) I can, however, give you this:**

 **(09:31) [Photo sent]**

(09:32) Oh my God.

(09:32) Is that… Is he wearing reindeer horns?

 **(09:33) Yep!**

 **(09:33) Uraraka found these costumes in the storage room and decided it would be fun to try them out.**

(09:35) What are you wearing?

 **(09:35) Excuse me?**

(09:36) You can't tell me Uraraka-san found cute costumes and didn't make her boyfriend wear one.

(09:40) Midoriya-san?

(09:46) Looks like I hit the jackpot.

 **/**

 _(09:43) This may be the best picture I've taken this entire year, aside from those of you, obviously._

 _(09:44) [Photo sent]_

(09:45) Firstly, is Midoriya-san truly wearing a Christmas tree on his head? And secondly, *when* did you take pictures of me?

 _(09:46) Firstly yes, and he looks just as ridiculous in real life as he does in the photo._

 _(09:47) And secondly, when you were all bouncy about eating soba for the first time._

(09:47) Waw.

(09:48) To both of those statements.

(09:48) I love your Rudolph get-up, though.

 _(09:50) How did you…_

 _(09:52) Maybe I should raid Midoriya's cereal stash too._

(09:52) What?

 _(09:53) Everybody is betraying me! First Iida, now Midoriya? Uraraka is just a matter of time now._

(09:54) I won't betray you.

 _(09:57) That's really cute, but Uraraka just stole my mochi so forgive me while I chase her._

 **/**

(09:57) Is Todoroki-san chasing Uraraka-san while wearing a Rudolph costume?

 **(09:58) [Video sent]**

 **(09:59) Despite contrary expectations, he truly does look like he's pulling a sleigh.**

 **(09:59) Tsuyu-san said she'd edit the video though so we're going to play it on his birthday.**

(10:02) This is even better than your impersonation of Yagi-sensei, Midoriya-san!

(10:03) I'll never get tired of your group!

 **(10:03) Uraraka and Todoroki just have a great friendship. Yesterday, he bribed her with snacks while we brought in the pink lights. You should have seen them nibbling in a corner, trying to be nonchalant, thus looking anything but.**

 **(10:04) Looks like it backfired on him, though.**

(10:04) Who's winning?

 **(10:05) Hard to tell? Uraraka is in the lead and she's setting globe-traps for Todoroki, but he's dodging surprisingly well.**

(10:06) Isn't this sabotaging the party?

 **(10:06) Nah, that title still goes to Kacchan and his friends.**

 **(10:07) They came in first today to eat all the candies we were going to hang in the tree. Iida almost had cardiac arrest!**

(10:07) Oh no! What did you do?

 **(10:08) Turns out Bakugou thought the colours of the wrappers were atrocious. They only ate them so we would be forced to replace them with the hand painted globes Kacchan bought.**

(10:09) Aww!

 **(10:10) Don't worry, they made sure to give us a good scare first. Sero even feigned food poisoning, and All Might has been insanely agitated ever since.**

(10:11) That's not exactly kind.

 **(10:11) It's Kacchan's brand of caring.**

 **(10:13) Oh! Todoroki finally caught up to Uraraka, but she stuffed the last mochi in her mouth as he was tackling her to the ground, so it's a tie?**

 **(10:14) His crestfallen expression would have one believe there was an apocalypse.**

 **(10:14) It's the same one he wore when the cafeteria was out of soba.**

(10:15) Terrible crimes indeed.

(10:16) Thank you for the outstanding narration, Midoriya-san!

 **(10:17) Happy to be of use even with one arm down!**

 **Third Period**

 **(10:46) weve set up the perfect scene**

(10:49) oh god

(10:49) please tell me it doesn't sparkle

 **(10:49) IT SPARKLES**

(10:50) i'm suddenly very sick

(10:50) got this terrible migraine and god my stomach hurts is this a case of the bleah-urghhh?!

(10:51) oh dear lord i'm coming down with the case of the bleaaaahh-urghhhh

 **(10:51) har har jirou very funny**

 **(10:52) bakugou and sero set up the scene its not that bad!**

(10:52) omg we'll catch on fire

 **(10:53) i promise you wont iida double checked**

(10:53) the fact that double checking was necessary doesn't exactly ease my mind

 **(10:54) why would bakugou set everything on fire?**

(10:54) don't ask me, he's YOUR friend

(10:55) maybe he has a phoenix bird aesthetic

 **(10:55) you know what that IS cool!**

(10:56) pikachu

 **(10:56) yeah yeah**

 **(10:56) so what time will you ladies (+tokoyami) arrive?**

(10:57) seven?

 **(10:57) pick you up at the station?**

(10:58) only if you aren't dressed in something stupid

 **(10:58) who do you take me for?**

(10:59) kaminari denki?

 **(10:59) that really hurts jirou!**

(10:59) sorry, you just have a track record

(11:00) see you at seven!

 **(11:01) yep seeya l8er**

(11:01) … don't

 **The Bakusquad**

 **ElectroBolt:** so apparently the elvis presley getup is down

 **Cellophane:** DUDE!

 **Cellophane:** If you don't dress up I'll look like an idiot in my Barry Manilow!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Because you didn't already?

 **Cellophane:** YOU STAY OUT OF THIS BRIAN MAY!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Hey, at least Queen's cool!

 **Cellophane:** Are you insulting copacabana?!

 **Cellophane:** That's the hottest spot north of Havana!

 **Red Riot:** What happened kaminari?

 **ElectroBolt:** jirou said no ridiculous costumes when i pick her up

 **Red Riot:** Are you calling king elvis ridiculous?!

 **Cellophane:** Bro you're billy joel you don't get to argue

 **Explodo McExplode:** Look who's talking.

 **Cellophane:** Music and passion is always the fashion~

 **Explodo McExplode:** She only said not to wear it when you pick her up though, right, dipshit?

 **ElectroBolt:** omg baku YOURE A GENIUS

 **Cellophane:** And then the punches flew and tables were smashed in two~

 **Red Riot:** Bro? Keep it for the show

 **Explodo McExplode:** I can't wait to see the fucking look on Glasses' face!

 **ElectroBolt:** i cant wait to see you with curly hair bakugou lmaaaao

 **Explodo McExplode:** You keep laughing but Brian May is a fucking genius and Under Pressure is the best Queen song ever!

 **Cellophane:** Mama~~~ just killed a maaaan!

 **ElectroBolt:** put a gun against his head pulled my trigger now hes deeaaad~

 **ElectroBolt:** we totally gotta put bohemian rhapsody on now!

 **Red Riot:** Only if we're doing the galileo chorus!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I call dibs on Beelzebub!

 **ElectroBolt:** thats like the best line!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Exactly!

 **Red Riot:** Guys I know this'll be a great show but Iida is strolling towards us with very stiff steps so we better get back to decorating this tree

 **Cellophane:** Copacabana~~

 **ElectroBolt:** yessir

 **Explodo McExplode:** If you hum Copacabana again imma kill you, you little fucker!

 **Lunch Break**

(13:04) huston? do we have a problem?

(13:07) you're hyperventilating while scrolling through pinterest so i'll assume the answer is yes

(13:08) I was just looking through pictures of outfits for parties and I think I may be severely underdressed for tonight?!

(13:09) [Picture sent]

(13:09) Look at these gorgeous dresses! How am I supposed to match?!

(13:10) yaomomo, you do realize this isn't a '50s prom we're going to, right?

(13:10) you're gonna look dazzling in your own dress!

(13:10) Maybe we should just call it all off…

(13:11) mina here girl NO!

(13:12) i needya there do you think I can dress up in pink and then meet kirishima all on my own well i cant!

(13:12) so get your sorry ass outta the cafeteria and lets browse through your hyper expensive wardrobe!

(13:13) You'd do that for me?

(13:13) tbh im doing it for myself too but yh sure

(13:14) Thank you so much!

(13:17) ashido is dragging me into this too fyi so you should feel pleased with yourself

(13:17) I do. Maybe *she* will convince you that you can't wear jeans tonight.

(13:18) urgh social labels

 **/**

(13:56) i hope you're happy

 _(13:56) And I hope you have lifelong prosperity?_

(13:57) you truly are a dork

(13:58) please consult me if you ever intend on writing the vow for your wedding, i don't want you to tell yaomomo you wish for her to be in good health and then start blabbering medical terminology

 _(13:58) Wonderful advice Jirou, but it doesn't clear up the abrupt "introduction"._

(13:59) we've been browsing through yaomomo's closet for over half an hour to dress her up for tonight

(13:59) this girl owns AN ENTIRE SHOPPING CENTER'S worth of clothes

 _(14:00) And I should be delighted because… I don't have to buy her clothes?_

(14:00) she's too classy for you anyway

 _(14:01) Hey!_

 _(14:01) I *could* be classy._

(14:01) mhm sure

(14:02) but no, you should be happy because she's crazy about wearing red and white to match your "colour scheme" or whatever

 _(14:02) That's perfect because I'm wearing black._

(14:03) please don't drill these sappy ideas in kaminari's head

(14:03) i look terrible in yellow

 _(14:03) But I'd love to see him in purple._

(14:04) oh dear god he'd look like a painted pikachu

 _(14:04) Should I?_

(14:04) NO!

 _(14:05) Your loss._

 _(14:05) Here's a picture of him goofing around with the DJ-board anyway out of the goodness of my heart._

 _(14:06) [Picture sent]_

(14:06) omg!

(14:06) i can't wait for his bday this will be the *perfect* blackmail material!

 _(14:07) So._

(14:07) so what?

 _(14:08) Don't I get a photo in exchange?_

(14:08) i thought this was out of the goodness of your heart? christmas season = time to be jolly and gay?

(14:09) gay as in happy please i don't want tears to ruin yaomomo's makeup

 _(14:09) Lovely impression you have of me._

 _(14:10) What about the goodness of *your* heart then?_

(14:10) i'm grinch

(14:11) and i've been feeding you good stuff for a while now, i deserved some candy myself

 _(14:11) You're losing your metaphor._

(14:12) crap i'm also losing my next class

(14:12) pleasure doing business with you wonderboy, as per usual

 **After School**

(16:03) Kyouka? Where are you?

(16:05) shes in my bathroom begrudgingly trying on new clothes and swearing at me through the door as i hog her phone~

(16:06) youre her roommate yaomomo teach her to speak nicer!

(16:06) especially to the girl doing her makeup~~

(16:07) Would you do mine too, Ashido-san?

(16:07) are you kidding me?! YES?!

(16:08) why the sudden change of heart?

(16:08) Kyouka might have mentioned a worrisome possibility last night…

(16:09) wonderboy will 100% kiss you

(16:09) How did you…?

(16:09) besides how obvious it is? i asked jirou

(16:10) I'll make sure to get her a Friend of the Year award.

(16:11) well you better hurry cause the clock is ticking before this year ends, missy

(16:12) I see you're in possession of your phone again, Kyouka.

(16:12) Let me in, I'm in front of Ashido-san's door.

 **/**

 **(16:46) You're nervous.**

 _(16:49) What gives off this (clearly misleading) vibe?_

 **(16:50) The fact that you just dipped your own finger in the chocolate fountain and then bit on the cracker. The look of confusion on your face when you found no chocolate was priceless.**

 **(16:50) Misleading, huh?**

 _(16:51) Incredibly so._

 _(16:54) Stop giving me that judging look, it's really unsettling when paired with the broken arm. You look like a delinquent about to behead me._

 **(16:55) If you "compliment" Yaoyorozu like this, you really should be nervous**

 _(16:55) Har har._

 **(16:56) So, what's up?**

 **(16:56) Don't say the sky.**

 _(16:57) Then you'll be relieved to know I was typing "the ceiling"._

 _(16:59) Do you know that feeling when a great trailer comes out, and you're all excited to watch the movie?_

 _(17:00) So you start crossing out the days until the movie actually comes out in theatres and you buy tickets as soon as they go on sale, only to discover the movie is actually… average._

 _(17:01) It's not even bad per se, but it's not what you expected it to be, you know?_

 **(17:02) You're afraid you'll be that movie.**

 _(17:02) I hate how that wasn't a question._

 **(17:03) Do you think you *are* that movie?**

 _(17:03) I also hate how this is a question._

 _(17:05) I truly hope I'm not._

 **(17:05) If it's any consolation, you were the complete opposite to me. You looked intriguing in a predictable way, and turned out to be nothing but.**

 **(17:06) Besides, this is subjective. Let her decide whether the hype was worth it or not.**

 _(17:06) Yaoyorozu once said this too… to let her decide whether she liked me or not._

 **(17:07) And it turned out to be a great decision, because she does like you.**

 _(17:07) Yeah… thank you, Midoriya._

 _(17:08) I'll do my best to make this night fantastic._

 **(17:08) You do that.**

 **(17:09) Meanwhile, Iida asked me when you're sending that lawyer, because he just got off the phone with his brother and he's apparently going to have a busy schedule as the best man.**

 _(17:09) Is it too late to candidate as a bridesmaid?_

 **(17:10) I'm not sure they make gender refunds 16 years later.**

 _(17:10) Tell Iida I'll begrudgingly let this slide on two conditions._

 **(17:11) He's listening.**

 _(17:11) One, he helps me choose a tuxedo, because I'm pretty sure Fuyumi-nee will want a crazy half white-half red tailor-made costume and I'm thinking no thank you._

 _(17:12) And two, I want those photos myself._

 **(17:12) He says done and done.**

 **(17:13) He also adds the half and half tux sounds intriguing.**

 _(17:13) I know what kind of music Hatsume listens to._

 **(17:15) He's blushing and turned into a robot but I managed to worm a "Deal" out of him.**

 _(17:16) I'll go order a Friend of the Year award for you._

 **(17:16) That would sit nicely in my collection, right next to "Mumbler of the Year".**

 _(17:17) Uraraka's idea._

 **(17:17) Never said I didn't like it.**

 **(17:18) Now come on, we have to take a last look at the playlist for tonight.**

 _(17:18) Coming._

* * *

 _AN:_ Hello guys!

This chapter took longer than I anticipated, but I actually like it, unlike the last one. Next chapter is finally the chapter you've all been excited for since the first few chapters, and I'm proud to say I know what'll happen and I think you'll enjoy it~ Lemme know what you think and what you expect will happen in chap 21?  
Till next time guys~


	21. Chapter 21

**AN:** THE CHRISTMAS PARTY!

* * *

 **21\. Exquisite Decorations and Music (The CPP ft. M Operation Is a Go!)**

* * *

 **Friday, 24th December**

 **Friday Evening**

"Are you sure about this?" Momo asked, throwing a dubious look at her reflection in the rattling subway window. Her hair was unbound and curled around the tips, heavy midnight locks spilling onto her white coat. Although discreet, she could feel the foundation and blush Ashido spread on her face, as well as the foreign sensation of red lipstick on her pressed lips.

Beneath the white coat she was wearing, Momo felt the rustle of her dress, and gave Ashido another concerned look. "Maybe this is too much after all. What if-"

"Girl," Kyouka was the one who stopped her rambling, placing a hand on her shoulder. "If we're talking 'too much', we're definitely talking about me." She gestured to her curled eyelashes and the purple shade that Ashido forced onto her. Momo thought her friend looked gorgeous, especially with the nude lipstick and long earrings that Ashido dug from her incredibly large vanity - she could have easily started a makeup agency with huge success.

"You're both worrywarts," the girl in question puffed with the same dramatic tone she used to lament that, "Artists are misunderstood!" Cupping Momo and Kyouka's chins, she drawled out, "You. Look. Fabulous. I should know, I did your makeup after all!" She gave the them a smug and confident grin, but Kyouka and Momo only exchanged a worried glance - their friend had a track record of getting overexcited.

The screeching of opening doors and the monotonus voice announcing their stop put an end to their discussion, and Momo stepped out of the crowded subway, following a skipping Ashido and a very much unimpressed Kyouka onto the platform. Behind them, Tokoyami murmured something about "the power of darkness," and Momo gave him an encouraging smile.

"Jirou!" A blond Momo recognized as Kaminari waved in their direction. Kyouka responded by raising her hand and watching with a satisfied smirk as his jaw dropped lower the closer they got. Next to him stood a redhead - probably Kirishima, if Ashido's photos were anything to go by - with a similar expression.

"Cat got your tongue?" Jirou teased.

"You look-" Kaminari tried, but the words jammed in his throat.

"Gorgeous? Stunning? Perfect thanks to Mina-sensei?" Ashido helpfully supplied.

Kaminari nodded, but his throat bobbed as he swallowed. Momo elbowed Kyouka subtly, and she rolled her eyes as if the tips of her ears weren't flushed pink. "You don't look bad yourself," Kyouka noticed, trying to go with casually nonchalant, but only managing obviously embarrassed. She quickly added, "Now that we've gotten the mushy stuff out of the way, let's go."

And with that, Kyouka swirled on her heels and strolled ahead, Kaminari and Momo trailing behind. Momo registered Kirishima stammering out a, "You look great" and Ashido, being her usual self, wrapped her hands around his bicep and exclaimed, "You're still as buff as ever!"

Kaminari, when he wasn't stealing glances at Kyouka and the skirts of the purple dress that sneaked out of her coat, or at the way her short hair bounced against her muffler - a yellow hand knit scarf that Momo was 98% sure was a gift from Kaminari himself, despite Kyouka fervently denying it -, was chatting with Tokoyami, asking him how his Dark Shadow was doing or talking about mythology.

Somewhere in between high fiving Tokoyami and catching up with his girlfriend, Kaminari found time to turn around and offer Momo a wide, toothy grin. "I'm glad you could make it, Yaomomo! It wouldn't be the same without you!"

Momo smiled back, and for a moment, his genuine warmth and excitement melted her nervousness. "I'm glad to be here, too," she admitted.

Kaminari nodded, winking at her before he finally fell into pace with Kyouka and laced his fingers with hers, pumping his free hand in the air as he declared, "Let operation CPP feat M begin!"

"Feat M?" Kyouka asked, and Momo could practically hear the skepticism in her voice and see the raised eyebrow wrinkling her forehead even without facing her. As Kaminari grinned again, this time with a hint of something devilish, Momo wondered what she had gotten herself into.

 **/**

Kirshima walked in first, rushing around the prop room to tap Shouto's shoulder. "They're here," he whispered into his ear, and then nodded firmly in Iida's direction.

The class rep clapped his hands three times, effectively getting everyone's attention. "Alright people," he spoke into his headset - Shouto really thought this entire "operation", as Class A had taken to calling it, was overkill, but he couldn't argue with the fact that Iida fitted perfectly into his coordinator role. "Everybody get into position. Todoroki-kun, we need you at the entrance. Bakugou-kun, Sero-kun, on my count. Midoriya-kun, Uraraka-kun, welcoming committee. Operation CPP is a go!"

As Shouto walked towards the entrance to grounds B, he could register Bakugou yelling, "Operation CPP is a fucking stupid name, you mo-" and being shushed quickly, most likely by Kirishima himself.

As shrill as Bakugou's voice was - and it was _shrill_ , Shouto knew that all too well after almost a year of setting to the loudest spiker in existence - it wasn't enough to wake Shouto from his daze. His feet moved towards the door almost independent from Shouto's brain. He registered the faint sound of people talking in the prop room, unmistakably heard Yaoyorozu's crystal-clear laughter. And yet he couldn't quite _feel_ any of it. It was like an extremely realistic dream he couldn't wake up from.

Until the doors creaked open and she stepped in.

It was her footsteps that first got to Shouto, red heels that clacked rhythmically against the tiles of the gym floor in that elegant and balanced manner she did everything in. Then it was her dress, snow white and knee length, with the little red bow tied around her waist and the laced sleeveless top that exposed the milky skin of her shoulders. A red necklace glimmered, catching the light of the fairy lights strewn around the hall, with matching red earrings that peeked from underneath curtains of black locks.

When Shouto's eyes fell on her face, he finally broke from his trance and took one step, then a second, more confident one, towards her. Her eyes were fixed upon the warm lights that flickered in the newly transformed ballroom, glowing with trepidation. The playful twinkle of the sparks splattered over her dress didn't even hold a candle to the brightness of her face.

This was _real. She_ was real.

Her hands were balled into fists by her side, and she startled when Shouto picked up her right hand and brought her knuckles to his lips. Peeking from behind his fringe, Shouto could see the pink dust spreading over her cheeks, and he caught the curious gleam in the pools of obsidian.

"You knew I was coming," she stated more than asked, flattening her hand in his. She was still as cold as the first night he held her hand.

Shouto offered her an impish grin. "Perhaps," he admitted, straightening back up and lacing his fingers with hers tightly.

He could see the tree lighting up without turning around, the warm, yellow bulbs reflected in Yaoyorozu's eyes. A smile bloomed on her face, and Shouto felt her bouncing on the balls of her feet slightly, squeezing his hand excited. He stepped aside to give her a full view of the huge tree throning in the gym, and watched as her mouth opened shily, letting out a quiet yelp of appreciation.

Even he had to admit it looked impressive. With every branch adorning white and red globes, each and every one manually painted by the UA students, and the finely crafted nutcracker and turtledove figurines, even an untrained eye could tell UA liked going all out. Perhaps even more impressive, however, were the heaps of gifts huddled underneath the tree, piled as to fit without taking up the entire dance floor - according to a scheme outlined by Iida and Hatsume, the backbones of this entire event.

The best part of it all, however, was seeing Yaoyorozu's gleeful look, her soft lips curved in awe and wonder, entirely unaware that she shone brighter than any decoration. "Adeste Fideles," she murmured as she recognized Luciano Pavarotti's voice reverberating against the walls. "It's fitting," she said, finally lowering her eyes from the decor to eye Shouto.

"The playlist was mine and Kaminari's to compose," he admitted. "Iida already had more than enough on his hands getting everyone to cooperate and planning this entire thing." He tugged on Yaoyorozu's hand, tilting his chin towards the ceiling. "Look up."

Hanging over their heads were stars and snowflakes, reflecting silver and golden lights and transfixing the otherwise dull ceiling in a starry sky, rivaling the one Mother Nature could create. Even Shouto smiled at the sight - it was hard not to feel overwhelmed in front of the minute detail everyone had put into crafting the paper mache decorations.

"Amazing," Yaoyorozu muttered.

"We're not always putting on weird disguises and chasing each other," Shouto jested, earning a melodious chuckle from Yaoyorozu.

"And breaking arms," a voice supplied helpfully from behind them, and Shouto lowered his eyes to be met with a smirking Midoriya - he really had no idea how the freckled boy had earned a reputation as an angel when he was anything but. "It's nice to have you here, Yaoyorozu. All m - Yagi-sensei asked me to tell you he'd be with you in a moment, but he had some _matters_ to attend."

At the stressed word, Shouto arched his eyebrows, "Bakugou again? We already gave him the dancefloor for an hour, and we aren't bargaining further."

"Ah no, not this time," Midoriya laughed sheepishly, scraping the back of his head with his good hand. "I think it's about helping chairman Nezu with the choir."

"You have a choir?" Yaoyorozu asked, tightening her grasp around Shuto's hand.

"Yes, they're to perform before you," Uraraka explained, popping from behind Midoriya in her frilly pink dress, matching her pink cheeks. Yaoyorozu gave her a friendly smile, but Uraraka spoke before she got a chance, "Waw, you're even prettier in person!"

Shouto stepped in when he felt Yaoyorozu fidgeting around a "thank you" and pulled her towards the rest of his class. "Are you ready to have the best Christmas party ever?" he whispered in her ear as people started clustering around them.

"Of course," she beamed at him.

 **/**

Jirou felt goosebumps bloom down her spine as the chorus reached the highest notes of _Ave Maria_ , and she knotted her fists into the purple velvet dress, inhaling deeply. This wasn't her first gig. It didn't matter that she came after such a good performance. She just needed to play like she had done during practice in Kaminari's basement. She just needed to close her eyes and let the chords speak. She just-

A warm hand on her shoulder startled her, and Jirou looked up into eyes of melted gold. "Hey," Kaminari whispered. Jirou just nodded, her throat too dry to form any sounds apart from clumsy hums. "You're not alone," Kaminari said, watching the chorus perform the last "Ave Maria."

One good thing about the scary size of the UA gym was that it allowed for a backstage coated by darkness and shielded from prying eyes. Jirou wasn't sure if that's what prompted her to sneak her arms around Kaminari's back, but she buried her head in his chest anyway, breathing in the calming scent of him.

His hands rested on her lower back, and he tucked her head under his chin without any smart comments on her sudden craving for affection. Instead, he hummed the end of the first verse of _Fairytale of New York_ , "Happy Christmas, I love you baby."

"I can see a better one, when all our dreams come true," Jirou hummed back, knowing that Kaminari could feel her muscles stretch into a smile.

And perhaps it was the sentimental shit associated with Christmas, or the fairy lights that can make even dumpsters seem a worthy romantic setting, but when Jirou pulled away to meet his fond gaze, she had a feeling they really would find themselves spending Christmas together the year to come, and the one after that.

She may have even used the advantage the heels gave her to kiss him hastily if not for Bakugou marching backstage, his face surprisingly not twisted in a growl. He looked like Grinch after the redemption arc, and Jirou had the urge to chuckle at the almost-grin on his face.

"What the fuck are you two doing?" he asked.

"Charging," Kaminari replied for both of them, squeezing Jirou to his chest one more time before letting her go and holding out her guitar. "You ready?"

"You bet," she smirked and high fived him.

 **/**

Iida had to admit that Jirou hadn't been all talk when she had said she could play the guitar and sing, neither was Yaoyorozu a mediocre piano player. Then again, no band that had a professional bagpipes player and could get Bakugou to enjoy himself had to be at least good.

"Are you enjoying the party?" Hatsume asked, blooming from the floor right by Iida's side. He wasn't surprised anymore - she had an amazing talent for popping up whenever and wherever, the inner workings of which Iida had stopped investigating some time ago.

Instead, he decided to grace her with a nod and ask, "How about you?"

"My babies are being put to good use!" she answered with delight, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she took in the stage. For once, she wasn't donning eyebags and baggy pants, but eyeshadow and a short blue A-line dress, one that coincidentally matched Iida's blue suit.

He really tried not to dwell on how the satin swirled around her waist, or how the oceanic blue brought out her pale skin, or how this was the first time he had ever seen her wearing any sort of jewelry, or how the earrings that hid under her rich locks seem to play with the light, catching it and reflecting it onto the bare skin of her neck.

He _really tried_ not to.

And it was precisely because of his fervent attempts not to focus on how different she looked when she was all dressed up, and because he wanted to forget how form fitting his suit suddenly felt and how suffocating his tie was, that he reasoned asking her to dance was the right course of action to take. _Christmas Lights_ was a slow song fit for a slow dance, as the couples forming around them proved, and Iida's dazzled brain considered asking Hatsume for a dance the obvious thing to do.

As soon as he realized he was to put a hand on her waist, he saw the error in his judgement.

But he also saw the wide smile she was sporting when she said, "This is my first time dancing!" and all of his apprehension melted.

From the corner of his eye, he caught Todoroki raising a knowing eyebrow at him, and pretended not to have noticed it, just as he pretended to be ignorant of the butterflies stirring in his insides whenever Hatsume stumbled on a step and offered him an apologetic, yet blissful smile.

This was going to be a long night.

 **/**

Momo climbed down the stairs with a kick to her step, Bakugou following just a beat behind her. "When are we doing this again?" he asked with unbound excitement, putting an endeared smile even on Jirou's face.

"Someone sure had fun," Kaminari commented, bumping Bakugou's shoulder with a fist. "But we have one more phase of the CPP plan to carry out before the night is over," he reminded his friend, who gave him a nod.

"And what would that be?" Kyouka quirked an uncertain eyebrow, crossing her arms skeptically.

"Something to be etched into eternity!" Kaminari proudly declared, not easing his girlfriend's worries in the least.

She only seemed to grow more unimpressed as she said, "Is this something that will make me pretend I've never met any of you and erase you from my contacts?"

"Jirou!" Kaminari yelped, mocking being hurt and crumpling his shirt above his heart. "I thought we had an unbreakable bond!"

"Your stupidity is just so strong it can break even that," Bakugou snorted.

The three kept their back and forth banter as they made their way back into the crowd, where they were awaited by All Might, standing out in a crowd of students. As soon as they came into sight, he started loudly clapping for them, patting each of them on the shoulder.

"An amazing show that was!" he exclaimed with enthusiasm. "It's only fair that we'll now let you enjoy yourselves! Please, feel at home! And to everyone here, may you have a Merry Christmas!" His voice was loud enough that he didn't need a microphone to make himself heard in the vast hall.

Momo was still looking after the bulky for one of the teachers she had always admired when she heard Todoroki's voice, "You were great up there."

She smiled at him, still giddy with the adrenaline rush performing for such a crowd caused. "I had fun!" she admitted.

Todoroki returned her smile, for the simple reason that she was happy, and that was enough to fill Momo with fuzziness and warmth. "I'm glad." There was a beat of silence before he added, somewhat conflicted, "I have something for you."

Momo was beginning to say, "Me too," when the sound of static buzzed in the air, and their attention was drawn back to the scene. "Uhm, hello?" Momo saw green messy hair and immediately recognized Midoriya. "On behalf of class 1-A, we have a surprise we'd like to dedicate this to one of our classmates. Kaminari, if you would?"

"With pleasure!" the boy in question responded - when had he scooted next to the scene again? - and pressed a button. Curtains pulled away and pink lights flickered to life, displaying the "Merry Christmas" message atop the scene and bathing everything in an ethereal light. The truly magical effect, however, was the sight revealing itself behind the windows of the gym: the trees lit up one by one, dressed in the same pink lights that wrapped them like warm mufflers.

It truly looked like a picture from a book, and even Momo gasped at its beauty. "You actually did it," she whispered in Todoroki's ear.

"Yeah." He looked just as entranced as her. "We didn't know it'd look like this though. This is-"

"Magical!" Uraraka breathed. 'This is just like I imagined the town and-wait! Is this-"

"It's for you, Round Face, so quit the fucking surprised look and thank your friends so we can get this show on!" Bakugou grunted, but his voice wasn't as gruff as his words implied. It was his own brand of caring, Momo guessed.

"And now it's time to open the presents!" All Might's voice thundered in the room, but Uraraka didn't budge. Her eyes were watery, and she struggled to mutter something when Midoriya joined the group again.

All she could do, however, was sob, "You guys!" and wrap Todoroki, Iida and Midoriya in a tight hug, squashing them together as tears rolled down her face. "This is the best Christmas ever!" she cried, rubbing her face against Midoriya's shirt as tears stammered against her huge smile. "Thank youuuu!"

"Please, Uraraka, you didn't even open your present," Todoroki said, awkwardly patting her back in an one-arm hug, the other hand trapped around Midoriya's midriff.

"There's more?" she perked up, earning a chuckle from all of her friends and Momo herself.

This felt like Christmas - sharing happiness and crying over presents, being with your friends, and seeing Todoroki's genuine smile as his friend hugged him once again for the photo album.

It was endearing.

 **/**

Kyouka argued that Kaminari dressed as Elvis Presley and singing _Can't Help Falling in Love with You_ whilst staring into her eyes, even going as far as pulling her on stage at the last verse, was anything _but_ endearing. Momo knew how to read her best friend's blush better than that, though.

Besides, Momo wasn't entirely bothered by the song choice, not when Todoroki held out a hand for her, bowing graciously. She could only take it, trying her best to bite down on the foolish grin that tugged at her lips. After that it was _Copacabana_ , which helped her discover that one, Todoroki liked spinning her around, and said her dress was mesmerizing as it fluffed around her legs, which elicited a giggle out of her, and two, that the "Bakusquad" was every bit as dramatic as Todoroki had described them, as they acted out the entirety of the story the lyrics told, making Kyouka hide behind Kirishima to muffle her laughter as Sero clutched his heart.

It was only for Under Pressure that Jirou joined Bakugou to do the background vocals, much to Kaminari and Ashido's shock. They both feigned betrayal, and Ashido took her revenge by doing an elaborate choreography on Kirishima's interpretation of Uptown Girl.

The other struggle of the night was the sudden discovery of mistletoe hanging in various corners of the room, which had Kyouka rolling her eyes at Kaminari when he tried to trick her into standing under some herself. "Is this what the 'feat M' was?" she asked a dejected Kaminari. Sero high fiving Kirishima was enough of an answer.

That night, Kaminari found out he didn't need the help of any plant or alcohol to kiss his girlfriend. Kyouka dragged him down by his necktie and pressed her lips against hers, pulling away only to smirk at his confused look. Momo had enough decency to turn away from the rest of the spectacle.

Other couples were less fortunate in their experience with Christmas traditions. Midoriya and Uraraka, for one, found themselves under a bunch of mistletoe strategically set over the bar, and blushed so madly that Momo was genuinely afraid they had drained every other part of their body of blood. When they eventually closed in the distance between them and clumsily kissed, the entire room erupted in loud cheers and whistles, money was exchanged, and Todoroki used it as a diversion.

"Do you want to step outside?" he asked Momo, who only nodded and followed him out of the crowded gym.

The night air was crisp, making Momo shudder despite having grabbed her coat on the way out. She had also grabbed a paper bag now rustling in the frigid breeze, and mulled over when it would be best to give it to the boy walking next to her.

Strangely enough, after a night of having snickered at quiet jokes and danced with him, they now walked in silence, their coats barely brushing, as if they were waiting for something new and slightly scary to happen. It was thrilling and nerve-wrecking, in a way only silence could be, and Momo found herself being the first one to break it by thrusting the bag in front of Shouto.

He stared at it for a moment before accepting it and holding out a present of his own for Momo. they exchanged a glance before Shouto pointed towards a cement flight of stairs and he took off his muffler for them to sit on as to not freeze up entirely.

Momo waited for him to open her present first, watching his reactions intently. The special edition Aladdin made him smile with one corner of his mouth, whereas the Pongo plushie tugged on the other corner. "Where did you even-"

"My parents collected Disney DVDs, and Dad bought that for Mom on their first date. I bought the plushie, though." Momo felt herself reddening as she spoke, thousands of worries filling her mind as the words left her mouth in uncertain spurts. Was she crossing a line here? Was this, as Kyouka had called it, overkill?

Todoroki calmed them all with a smile. "I love it," he genuinely said.

Momo smiled back, relieved, and opened her own present. The first thing to greet her was a pair of gloves, soft and warm to the touch. She put them on instantly, clapping her hands and showing them to Todoroki. "You always have cold hands," he explained.

The next thing she took out was a pair of panda socks - the same ones she had noticed two weeks ago, when she met him for the first time. "You remembered!" Momo whispered, tracing the cute design with a gloved finger.

"Of course," Todoroki answered, as if that was a given fact.

Something else attracted her attention on the bottom of the bag, and Momo fished out two pieces of paper. Tilting them under the light of one of the illuminated trees, she read the caption and-

"I figured you might want to go."

She wasn't sure what her face was depicting, because she eyed Todoroki with a mixture of excitement, curiosity and sheer happiness. "How did you get these?" She fluttered the tickets that granted them entrance to Disneyland before his eyes.

"I dragged Iida, Uraraka and Midoriya to Disneyland and we queued for two hours for the special Christmas edition," he shrugged. "So, are you still free on the 26th?"

"You didn't have to-"

"But I wanted to," he interrupted her.

Momo let a giggle escape her lips, effectively dissipating any lingering tension in the air. "What about not liking presents?" she teased.

Todoroki shrugged again. "I guess even I make exceptions. So, would you like to go with me to Disneyland?"

As if he even needed to ask. "I'd love to," she smiled at him brightly.

Maybe it was the soft pink light cascading around them, or the red hair spilling over Todoroki's forehead that toyed with her mind, but Momo could swear his face coloured a shy shade of pink. She wasn't sure if it was her that leaned him, or him, or both of them, but their foreheads came closer until they bumped, and she felt that force pulling them together again, just like it had done on their first official date.

Except this time, she was fully aware of him, aware of his candy smelling breath - Bakugou was, contrary to popular belief, a rather talented cook -, aware of his hair tickling the bridge of her nose, aware of his surprisingly warm fingers on the side of her cheek. And none of it seemed as scary or nerve-wracking as she had thought it would be.

"May I kiss you?" Todoroki asked, mismatched eyes fixed on hers. Whoever said mismatched eyes were distracting had obviously never met Todoroki, because all Momo felt while staring into them was warmth, not the engulfing kind, but the kind that slowly spread in her body, enveloping her in a coat of security.

She felt _home_.

Her only answer was a hummed, "Mhm," because words didn't really belong in this pocket of time, this magical bubble only fairy lights and innocent feelings could create.

Todoroki's lips were chapped and a bit clumsy, but they still managed to knock the air out of her lungs. Their noses bumped, but that was fine too, because when she pulled away, Momo was laughing.

"What?" Todoroki asked, his hand now resting on the nape of her neck, combing her hair aimlessly.

Momo riased her thumb to his lips, wiping away smeared lipstick. She held out the reddened finger in front of his eyes with another giggle. Todoroki blinked at first, before a smirk crept onto his face. "Maybe you should wipe your lipstick."

Momo's brow furrowed. "Why?"

Without any warning this time, Todoroki seized her lips again, taking his time as his fingers roamed in Momo's hair. She was certain she looked disheveled, with messy bangs and smudged lipstick - the sort of look she'd be ashamed to ever show someone else - but in that moment, all she knew was that the look Todoroki sported before kissing her again held enough affection to melt Momo. She knotted her fingers into his coat and closed her eyes, faintly registering music filtering outside and the chime of bells.

She didn't open her eyes as soon as they parted, opting to listen to the sound of their mingling breaths. "That's why," Todoroki said after a moment, sounding a tad bit smug and a lot short breathed himself.

Being with Todoroki was easy; so easy. Momo forgot why she had spent almost half of the previous night fretting over this exact moment. In a spurge of recklessness and bravery she'd come to remember as her fondest memory, Momo intertwined her gloved hands around Todoroki's neck and let her words tickle his cheeks.

"Again."

* * *

AN: Hello!

I get a feeling this was the most hyped chapter of Dial and Error, ever since the party was mentioned in passing in the first few chapters, so I hope I managed to do it justice, especially since I love Christmas with every fiber of my body.  
(Almost) all the couples came together for this chapter, and I tried to give them all some cute moments. Of course IzuOcha would get the awkward mistletoe experience, and of course TodoMomo won't need that. Iimei was a pairing I've been dying to write for a while too, so indulge me:)  
The next chapter is the last one. Expect it this weekend, most likely. It's been a long ride, and I thank you all for tuning in. Till next time!


	22. Chapter 22

**AN:** In which one year passes by but the dorks are still dorks.

Normal is Momo  
Italics is _Shouto_  
Underlined is Jirou  
Bold underlined is **Kaminari**  
Bold is **Midoriya**  
Italics underlined is _Iida_

* * *

 **22\. The Present and the Future (Thank You for Sticking Around, Folks!)**

* * *

 **One year later**

 **Sunday, 4th December**

(08:34) Waking up to Kyouka singing "exams are over!" is the best feeling.

 _(08:36) I can't believe she woke up before you._

 _(08:36) I can't believe she woke up before 9am, actually._

(08:37) Right? I feel so proud I might shed a tear.

 _(08:37) Are your good habits finally rubbing off her?_

(08:38) No, she has a date with Kaminari-san later, since it's their anniversary, but I'll take what I can get.

 _(08:39) Huh, it's already been an year. Time sure flies by._

(08:39) It sure does..

(08:40) Don't you find it ironic? That the reason we've met is Kyouka?

 _(08:41) I find it ironic that there were so many coincidences overlapping. You were angry that you were dragged to a party, hence you texted the wrong number. But if I wasn't awake, I would have probably just disregarded the message._

(08:41) That's true.

(08:42) Mistakes sure mold someone.

(08:42) I want to chat more, but Kyouka is throwing pillows at me to help her with her outfit, and you *know* how rare such a request is from her side, Todoroki-kun.

 _(08:43) I wouldn't want you to miss it for the world._

 **The Bakusquad**

 **ElectroBolt:** GUYS

 **ElectroBolt:** WAKE UP

 **ElectroBolt:** ITS AN EMERGENCY!

 **Explodo McExplode:** What do you want, shit for brains?

 **ElectroBolt:** this is what i get for not being specific enough

 **ElectroBolt:** KIRISHIMA SERO WAKE UPPPPP

 **Explodo McExplode:** Oi, you fucker, just say what the hell you need.

 **ElectroBolt:** omg baku you-

 **ElectroBolt:** youre being nice?!

 **ElectroBolt:** what did camie do to you?!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I'll just fucking leave.

 **ElectroBolt:** nonononono stay

 **ElectroBolt:** pleaseeeee

 **Explodo McExplode:** Just spit it out already.

 **ElectroBolt:** okay so i have a date with jirou cause its our one year anniversary

 **ElectroBolt:** and I NEED TO KNOW

 **ElectroBolt:** [Photo sent]

 **ElectroBolt:** purple or slightly darker purple?

 **Explodo McExplode:** Oh for fuck's sake!

 **ElectroBolt:** ITS IMPORTANT

 **Red Riot:** Why are you up so early man?

 **Red Riot:** Also slightly darker purple

 **Cellophane:** Why don't you wear yellow tho?

 **ElectroBolt:** because im freaking out kiri

 **ElectroBolt:** not an option sero i have to match her colour scheme

 **Cellophane:** Then buy her yellow hair dye

 **Explodo McExplode:** Wear the purple shirt with a dark undershirt and use it as a jacket; that way, you can contrast the colours and still match her.

 **Cellophane:** Ooooor listen to Mom

 **Red Riot:** That's actually great advice Bakugou

 **Explodo McExplode:** Of fucking course it is!

 **ElectroBolt:** bakuboooooooo

 **ElectroBolt:** let camie know she has competition cause i love youuuuuuu

 **Explodo McExplode:** As if you even hold a candle to her.

 **Cellophane:** Awwwwww

 **Cellophane:** Young love…

 **Explodo McExplode:** Fuck off!

 **ElectroBolt:** when will you get yourself a gf dude? even kiri has one

 **Red Riot:** What do you mean EVEN me?

 **ElectroBolt:** no offense dude but you and ashido TOTALLY skirted around each other for a good few months

 **Red Riot:** We were both busy!

 **Cellophane:** Look kiri I wanna be the queen of england too but we can't deceive ourselves like that

 **ElectroBolt:** why is it always "the queen" and not the king?

 **Cellophane:** Dude have you seen the king's crown? My head would break under that!

 **Explodo McExplode:** To be expected, given how empty it is.

 **Cellophane:** Right in the feels baku but I know you don't mean it

 **ElectroBolt:** i think he does

 **Cellophane:** And I think you'll be late.

 **ElectroBolt:** shit!

 **/**

 **(10:46) jirou**

 **(10:46) love of my life**

(10:47) what have you done *now*?

 **(10:47) i may still be on the subway**

(10:48) so what you're saying is that you'll be late

 **(10:48) which totally isn't my fault!**

(10:49) kaminari…

 **(10:49) i love you!**

(10:50) sadly, me too

 **(10:50) JIROU!**

(10:50) a terrible decision, really

(10:51) remind me how you charmed the pants off my family to the point where they called to invite you to dinner today?

 **(10:52) they did?! oh man that's great, i missed your folks!**

 **(10:53) and to answer your question, i think their love for me was cemented when i told your mom i'm a huge fan of her work**

(10:53) i'm lactose intolerant, please, no cheese

 **(10:54) im getting off now wait for me!**

(10:54) as if i have anything better to do

 **/**

 _(11:04) Iida, you know you are one of my best friends._

 _(11:07) Todoroki-kun! As expected of you, messaging me to remind me that you cherish our friendship! The feeling is reciprocated, of course!_

 _(11:08) Actually I'm messaging you to remind you that our friendship will no longer be cherished if you keep sending a hundred floral arrangements every weekend for my sister to choose from._

 _(11:09) I swear, we're almost eating flowers by this point. They invaded every nook and cranny of this household!_

 _(11:09) As the best man, it is my duty to make sure this wedding will be a success and to add some colour to brighten the day in your house!_

 _(11:10) I really doubt it is._

 _(11:10) Nonsense! I merely believe our siblings deserve the best!_

 _(11:16) Would that "best" have anything to do with the delivery of three catalogues of menus and prices to choose from?_

 _(11:17) Ah, how timely! I knew I could trust that company to be professional! Could you look through the bookmarked pages and tell me what interests you, Todoroki-kun?_

 _(11:18) I personally would like to open up with amuse-bouche, continue with light fish with assorted vegetables and then I was thinking the cake could be vanilla frosted._

 _(11:20) Of course, the bride and groom on top will be customized to look like Fuyumi-kun and Nii-san!_

 _(11:20) Iida, do you really have nothing better to do?_

 _(11:21) While I am aware of how invested I am in this wedding, you can rest assured that I am not neglecting my duties as a student and, furthermore, as the class representative!_

 _(11:22) I never thought I'd say this, but this is where I step in._

 _(11:22) That leaves me quite confused, Todoroki-kun._

 _(11:23) Perhaps the salmon rolls aren't to your liking?_

 **/**

 _(11:22) Midoriya, please tell me that Uraraka has Hatsume's number._

 **(11:25) Yes Todoroki, I'm resting after the exams, thank you for asking. I slept like never before and the weather is just perfect for catching up on my reading list. How are *you*?**

 _(11:26) I'd be better if you had Hatsume's number._

 **(11:26) Does this concern Iida?**

 **(11:27) Because I don't know if he's the sort of person you can set up, Todoroki.**

 _(11:28) I prefer to refer to this as making him divorce his work rather than setting him up._

 **(11:29) That *is* something I can help with.**

 **(11:34) Okay, I asked Ochako and she was so excited that she immediately texted her.**

 _(11:35) It's time to pray she isn't in the lab today, because I can't take looking through pages upon pages of fish rolls for much longer._

 **/**

 _(12:04) Why do they make so many fancy dishes?!_

(12:05) Because food can be seen as an art, and because its creation is often quite draining, both physically and artistically?

(12:06) I presume you're referring to the wedding menu.

 _(12:07) I can always count on you to give me elaborate answers, Yaoyorozu, and that is precisely why I love you, but I was merely posing a rhetorical question._

(12:07) Oh. Well, at least now you know why?

 _(12:08) You're getting better at not apologizing and I am very proud of you._

(12:08) I thought you were always proud of me.

 _(12.09) Touche._

(12:09) Speaking of the wedding, Todoroki-kun, now that exams are over, I can finally look for a dress! Would you like to accompany me?

 _(12:10) Is it a date?_

(12:10) It could be a date.

 _(12:10) Then yes._

 _(12:11) Don't get me wrong, I'm content with just staring at you trying on clothes for two hours, too, but I'd much rather hear your voice and thorough opinions._

(12:12) Just because I'm getting better at avoiding sorry's doesn't mean I can take compliments, you know?

 _(12:13) And you know that I can't stop blurting out the truth._

(12:13) Smooth, Todoroki Shouto, smooth.

(12:13) You don't have practice on Friday, right? How does this Friday at 18 sound?

 _(12:14) If you're there, perfect._

(12:15) Now you're just pulling my leg.

 _(12:15) You caught me._

 _(12:16) Also, I'd like to chat more, but my sister is just about to rip the newest playlist to pieces and I need to save Iida-san's hard work._

(12:16) Good luck!

 **/**

 _(13:27) I assume you have *nothing* to do with the latest text I got from Hatsume about "testing out her newest babies"?_

 _(13:29) I don't reckon I know what you're talking about, but that sure sounds like an educative meeting._

 _(13:29) I know you're smirking while writing this, Todoroki-kun, so I must enunciate this again._

 _(13:30) Hatsume and I aren't… dating, as you put it._

 _(13:30) And you won't be unless you meet up more often._

 _(13:31) Todoroki-kun, I know you have my best interests at heart, but I'm not interested in that sort of relationship._

 _(13:32) Then what about the dance *you* initiated at the Christmas party?_

 _(13:32) That was one year ago and the circumstances asked for it!_

 _(13:34) Oh? Then how about the chocolate she gave you for Valentines? And the project you helped her with? I heard you spent some of your summer vacation with her, Iida._

 _(13:35) Oh and you clearly are *not* glancing at her every other minute in the cafeteria during lunch break, right?_

 _(13:35) You are exaggerating._

 _(13:36) We can ask Midoriya, you know he's good with numbers._

 _(13:36) Ah, fine, I'll go, but only because she is my *friend* and I'm supportive of my friends._

 _(13:37) Yeah sure, Iida. Whatever helps you sleep at night._

 **Sunday Afternoon**

 _(16:04) The first quiet Sunday afternoon I've had in months. No doorbells ringing, no catalogues being flipped through. Just me and Eri purring in my lap as I stroke her._

 _(16:05) I could get used to this._

(16:07) What a coincidence! Eri-chan is sleeping with her head in my lap too. She fell asleep after I read her Charlotte's Web.

(16:07) How come your place is so quiet?

 _(16:08) Iida is out with Hatsume (he can thank me later) and Fuyumi took advantage of the sudden lack of delivery men to go out with one of her friends and pick up the wedding dress._

 _(16:09) Which leaves me in the living room, watching The Incredibles again in preparation for us streaming the second movie._

(16:10) I just rewatched that recently too, it was so good! All the character development, the interconnecting stories, the plot twist…

 _(16:10) Don't spoil me!_

(16:11) My lips are sealed.

(16:12) Ah, Kyouka is back from her date and demands my undivided attention. Is it alright if I talk to you later?

 _(16:13) Of course._

 **The Bakusquad**

 **Cellophane:** Why are there bee's knees and cat's pajamas but not cat's knees or bee's pajama?

 **Cellophane:** What is this BLASPHEMY?!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I asked myself the same question when I met you.

 **Red Riot:** Keep it for the monthly insult tournament, Bakugou!

 **Explodo McExplode:** When the fuck did this evolve into such an organised way of shitting with each other?

 **Cellophane:** When Present Mic said he'd bet on Kaminari to win, which was obviously a rocky move with me in the mix.

 **Red Riot:** You say that, but Kaminari *did* win last month's round.

 **Explodo McExplode:** Half of those were Earjacks' snarky remarks!

 **Cellophane:** Do I spy with my little eye someone jealous~?

 **Explodo McExplode:** You fucking wish.

 **ElectroBolt:** im gonna marry her

 **Cellophane:** Welcome to the party dude

 **Cellophane:** A heads-up to get my cheese out would've been nice

 **Red Riot:** Good date I take it?

 **ElectroBolt:** fun-fucking-tastic

 **ElectroBolt:** we went to the movies and i swear i constantly forget how smart she is

 **Explodo McExplode:** You mean you forget how stupid you are

 **ElectroBolt:** id normally say youre being mean *kacchan*

 **Explodo McExplode:** Fucking watch it!

 **ElectroBolt:** but i had such a good day nothing can ruin it

 **Cellophane:** Bee's pajamas!

 **ElectroBolt:** i dont even wanna know

 **ElectroBolt:** anyway we ate crepes after that and i got chocolate all over my face

 **Explodo McExplode:** How even?

 **ElectroBolt:** theyre hard to eat okay?

 **ElectroBolt:** and she smeared herself with chocolate too just to match

 **Cellophane:** Waw dude I wanna say something smart but that's bloody adorable

 **Cellophane:** Are you sure it was jirou?

 **ElectroBolt:** she can be really sweet guys!

 **Red Riot:** Well I'm happy for you, Kaminari!

 **Explodo McExplode:** Now you can ask her dad to give you back those condoms.

 **ElectroBolt:** dude! dont be a jerk!

 **Cellophane:** You'd better get yourself some first baku cause I heard you're taking camie with us on the sky trip

 **Explodo McExplode:** Do you WANT ME TO FUCKING KILL YOU?!

 **Red Riot:** No killing!

 **Cellophane:** Yes listen to your husband Blasty!

 **Explodo McExplode:** I can't deal with you dipshits, I'm out!

 **ElectroBolt:** i can die a happy man i cant believe jirous dating me!

 **Cellophane:** Cat's knees!

 **Red Riot:** Why is this chat such a mess…?

 **/**

(18:04) Kyouka? How long are you going to be in the bathroom? Ashido's complaining that she left her makeup there.

(18:05) well excuse *me* for your out of this world waterproof mascara that wont come out no matter *what* i do!

(18:05) There's a cleanser in the top left cupboard.

(18:08) wow this actually works

(18:08) also why does ashido need makeup?

(18:08) wait

(18:09) don't tell me

(18:09) is she sneaking out to meet her bf?

(18:09) She does have Aizawa-sensei's approval, so I wouldn't call it sneaking out, Kyouka.

(18:10) Clearly not like *you* did last year.

(18:10) stop shoving that in my face, you helped me escape!

(18:11) This isn't a prison…

(18:11) it is when I can't play loud music after 10pm!

(18:12) anyhow, when will she finally bring kirishima over so i can get blackmail material for their wedding?

(18:12) i already have more than enough on you and wonderboy btw, you can thank me once he puts that ring on your finger

(18:13) A touching display of affection for our relationship, really, but you still haven't told me everything about yours.

(18:15) Stop dawdling, you came back with an extremely happy smile on your face and have been humming ever since.

(18:15) it was good.

(18:16) I doubt that is all.

(18:17) i'm not sure what you want me to say, momo

(18:17) i'm *dating* the doofus

(18:18) But do you love him?

(18:18) i don't know, momo, is the sky blue?

(18:19) I mean, do you see yourself dating him in three years' time?

(18:19) oh.

(18:23) yes

(18:23) That was a long pause.

(18:24) you know i'm not a huge "i wanna have 4 kids and a house with a pool" person

(18:25) … but i can't see myself dating anyone else

(18:25) Are you afraid he'll want a family and you just won't be ready for that?

(18:26) no

(18:26) yes

(18:26) maybe?

(18:27) why do you always need to ask me hard questions?! you can't hear me but i'm groaning

(18:27) I'm sorry, I just thought your anniversary would make you think about your future.

(18:28) did you and todoroki discuss these… things already?

(18:28) Yes, since his sister's wedding is coming up.

(18:29) It's not like we don't have differences either, Kyouka, and there are still things we need to do. He needs to see eye to eye with his father, and I need to decide on a career path.

(18:30) But there's no one else I'd rather have by my side when facing life.

(18:32) that makes sense

(18:33) tell ashido to stop pounding on the door already, i'm done anyway

 **/**

 **(19:40) i had such a great time today!**

(19:42) me too

(19:45) hey, kaminari, can i ask you something?

 **(19:46) yeah sure whats up?**

(19:48) you know what, forget it. it's a stupid idea momo got in my head

 **(19:48) come on jirou you know you can tell me anything**

(19:49) promise me you won't laugh?

 **(19:49) of course**

 **(19:52) jirou? youre making me kinda nervous**

(19:53) okay so uhm. do you ever think about us in like, the future?

 **(19:53) you mean if im coming to your prom next year or if we'll ever get married?**

(19:54) the second one

(19:56) you know what, forget it, it's stupid anyway

 **(19:56) i think about that**

(19:57) oh.

 **(19:57) bad oh?**

(19:58) please elaborate oh

 **(20:02) i think about wanting to move in together one day after we graduate, and i think about one day proposing to you. and i also think id like to have kids with you, someday**

(20:02) how many kids do you think we'd have?

 **(20:03) two probably**

 **(20:03) im just thinking we dont want the kid to be lonely but id start mixing their names if we had three so ill settle for two**

(20:04) what else did you think about?

 **(20:04) that wed probably move in the suburbs so the kids could grow up away from the city noise**

 **(20:05) too much?**

(20:05) i like the sound of all of this

(20:06) it's really comforting, knowing that we have a future together

(20:06) but i'm also scared, because i'm not prepared for any of that *now*, kaminari

(20:07) we're 17!

 **(20:08) i know**

 **(20:08) which is also why im thinking that i cant wait to see you again next week and then on the skying trip**

 **(20:09) its why im thinking ill be happy talking to you everyday for a long long time**

 **(20:09) that doesnt sound so scary right?**

(20:09) yeah

(20:10) it doesn't

(20:10) huh

 **(20:11) what?**

(20:11) who knew you could be so deep, pikachu?

 **(20:12) the more you know;)**

(20:13) you're a dork

(20:14) thank you

(20:14) i don't really know why you're still dating this mess, but thank you

 **(20:14) i kinda have a soft spot for snarky messes**

(20:15) omg i'll tell aoyama to buy his cheese from you from now on

 **(20:16) ah your wit is back!**

 **/**

(21:24) I finally got photos of a flustered Kyouka, I feel like our friendship has reached a whole new level.

 _(21:26) I just think she rubbed off you after sharing a dorm for almost two years._

(21:26) Or that.

(21:27) Still enjoying peace and quiet?

 _(21:27) Yes. Eri fell asleep._

 _(21:28) [Photo sent]_

(21:28) That's so adorable! She's snuggling into your hand like it's a safety blanket!

 _(21:29) She trapped it, actually. When I try escaping, she leans into it more._

 _(21:30) So I may type slower._

(21:30) That's alright.

(21:31) How was Iida-san's date?

 _(21:34) He keeps denying it's a date, but Uraraka told me Hatsume was delighted to have him over and is now on the phone with her, ranting about Iida._

(21:34) Aww!

(21:35) Do I need to talk some sense into Iida?

 _(21:36) No, I want to see his face when he finally admits he likes her. It will be *priceless*._

(21:36) Maybe you spend too much time with Jirou, too.

 _(21:37) It's entirely your fault for not making a snapchat account._

(21:37) Maybe I will.

 _(21:37) Really?_

(21:38) Yes, so I can get photos of you from Uraraka-san!

 _(21:39) I still don't know when you two became such good friends. Should I be concerned?_

(21:40) No, we're just discussing how to keep Midoriya from injuring himself 78% of the time (Midoriya did the statistics).

 _(21:41) Share some of your wisdom, it may come in handy during practice._

 _(21:42) I'm really sorry, Fuyumi-nee is back and needs help with dinner (I don't want to eat half-burnt chicken again) so I have to go._

(21:42) That's okay, go save your dinner!

 _(21:44) We keep getting interrupted today, huh?_

(21:45) We sure do, but I'll be here again tomorrow.

 _(21:45) As will I, Wrong Number Girl._

 **~~THE END~~**

* * *

 **AN:** Hello guys!

Waw, this is the last time I'm writing a notice for Dial and Error. Here we are, huh? It's not epic, I know, but this story wasn't either, so I thought what better way to round up D&E than with a chapter like the usual ones? With smooth todo, some kamijirou on the side, our favourite Bakusquad and friendships we all adore?  
I'm very emotional as I'm writing this note, and I can't believe it's over, but I must thank you all so very very VERY much for sticking with me. D&E started as a fun pastime and ended up being my biggest project so far. Some of you may already know that I work on other Todomomo fics, so this won't be the last you see of me. I plan on adding some long oneshots to the d&e universe too (the first one coming is Kamijirou, and then probably Izuocha).  
I can't really put this into words. Finishing a project such as this one is bittersweet, and I can't believe so many of you stuck with me through my crazy ideas, but I can't imagine D&E otherwise. This will forever be special for me, and that's all I can say before I tear up.  
THANK YOU, AND HERE'S TO A GREAT 2019!


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